If Stone Bled Symphonies
by Killthespares
Summary: In a year's time, the Kingdom of Clubs will welcome their new leaders. Akaashi Keiji has been studying his whole life to become Queen. He really doesn't see how a year will make any difference. And then, he met Bokuto. (Prequel to my other story "All in the Cards", do not have to read that to understand this). Contains slash.
1. Part 1: November through December

A/N: Hey, guys! For those of you who read the other story in this series "All in the Cards", I hope you enjoy this "brief" BokuAka prequel story. There's some more world building in this one!

For those new to this series, awesome, thanks for reading. Most all of the important parts of the Card Universe should be mentioned in this first chapter. But, to help, here is a five key points:

-The Card Kingdom is made up of four minor kingdoms that rule together: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, and Clubs

-Minor kingdoms are ruled by their Suit, each having a King (the leader), a Queen (the mage), a Jack (the smartest), and the Ace (the warrior)

-No gender classifications for the Suit so a woman can be King and a man can be Queen.

-Queen and King are nor married positions so no arranged marriages here.

-The Suit knows they are destined to rule by the Mark (symbol on hand, heart, neck, or arm) and the Mark is Claimed when they take over the ruling position and the Mark gets a letter in the middle. If person becomes Unworthy to rule, the letter disappears.

I swear it's a lot less confusing in context! Thanks for reading!

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_The Card Kingdoms Stand United._

_Bountiful and plenty be the Southern fields of Spades to gain the land their feast. Strong and shrewd be the Western ports of Hearts to bring the sea to shore. Tall and sharp be the Northern mountains of Diamonds to guard the country's heart. Rich and shining be the Eastern cliffs of Clubs to adorn the nation's crown._

_But who shall lead the kingdom-powerful and sure? _

_On the King's hand to point the way; Over the Queen's heart to light the path; By the Jack's head to plan the journey; At the Ace's arm to hold up the rest. _

_These Marks are how we know our leaders._

_Yet listen closely and hold it dear, we hold one truth above all others:_

_The Card Kingdoms Stand United._

_**Opening from "The Tale of the Card Kingdom" (277 A.E.)**_

ooooo

"The Suit has come to a decision."

Akaashi waited.

"In a year's time, you will Claim your title and take my place as Clubs' Queen."

Satoshi Akio, Queen of Clubs and Mage of Earth, sat perfectly straight behind his desk, the lines of his face pulled down with the gravity of his words.

Akaashi schooled his face not to let the surprise show.

"I understand. Thank you for this honor."

His old mentor nodded back, approvingly.

"It is the will of Fate," Satoshi recited before a touch of the formality fell away and he shifted in his chair, joints protesting as he did. "...and it's the sensible choice. You'll be 20 by the time of the festival-a touch young, to be sure, but only a year younger than the rest of your Suit so that should work fine." He frowned. "I was 24 at the time my former Suit decided to retire; but, Fumiko was only 21 when she became Ace so at least there's _some_ precedence." He waved a hand. "We've spent too long waiting for your King to arrive anyway."

This time, Akaashi didn't try to hide his surprise.

"The next King was found?"

The former King of Clubs, King Susumu, had died three years ago of complications with illness and old age. As far as Akaashi knew, the next king-known by the Mark of Clubs across his hand-had not come forward. Certainly not too unusual, especially before the five year mark and with a Queen, Jack, and Ace still in place to rule, but still a mystery that Akaashi had expected to hear when it resolved.

Satoshi looked at him sharply. "Yes. They approached Fumiko before Club's fall festival last month. It's the reason the Suit voted to schedule the Claiming for next year." He pressed his lips together. "Despite the limited schedule that means for the next King-to-be's training."

Akaashi bit down on a smile, opting to stay quiet rather than to question if the Queen had been outvoted.

Satoshi raised an eyebrow. "Not that the next King's arrival should change anything about _your_ plans."

"Of course," Akaashi soothed and Satoshi looked appeased.

Of all the Card Kingdoms, Clubs was the most unique in how their Suits went about Claiming their titles. While the other Card Kingdoms did typically follow Clubs' way of having the King, Queen, Jack, and Ace begin their rule at roughly the same time-hopefully with only a few years between each Claiming-Clubs was absolutely the only kingdom that tried to keep their next rulers from meeting until after they Claimed their titles.

The reasoning behind this was many and varied, with the most quoted logic being that it helped the Suit grow separately as people before learning to work together, it all tended to come down to one thing: Tradition.

If there was one thing besides Clubs and his Suit that Queen Satoshi was particularly fond for, it was tradition.

Satoshi sighed. "Since she says her replacement Jack is already close to trained, Aratani has chosen to stay in the capital while Fumiko and I stay at this particular University branch."

"So, we're staying here for the entire year, then," Akaashi asked absently.

That was….fine. He'd miss the travel, he supposed-taking in the different branches of the University or resting in the capital he somewhat viewed as his home. But, he would manage, of course. If it was what Clubs needed.

Satoshi nodded. "Until we travel back to the capital for the next fall festival." He waved Akaashi's next question away. "It's typical to try to keep incoming Suit members fairly close together. Even for the other kingdoms. It helps the current Suit train them more easily."

"Why not just stay at the capital?"

Satoshi hummed, spreading out his hands in a gesture Akaashi recognized far too well from countless lessons. "You tell me?"

Akaashi thought back to his strategy lessons.

"A precaution," he guessed. "A safety measure to not have the entire incoming Suit in the same place as the current. Too easy for everyone to be attacked."

"Correct." Satoshi gave him a small smile. "There's wisdom in tradition, Akaashi. Always look for it."

ooooo

The University of Clubs was made up of seven different branch locations, all dedicated to the most noble pursuit of understanding the human condition be it through art, history, the study of the mind, philosophy, or music.

Which, of course, meant they _loved _a good piece of gossip.

"Did you hear that the new King is here," whispered an apprentice.

"I heard!" A fairly young master rolled his eyes. "_Finally, _if you ask me. Not that someone as new as us will ever get the chance to see them before the festival."

The apprentice merely hummed; but, it was that teasing kind of hum that begged someone to question it.

Unseen on the balcony above, Akaashi rolled his eyes before turning back to his book.

"What do you know," the master pressed.

The apprentice grinned like the cat that caught its prey. "I happen to know that Queen Satoshi already asked my Master Hekima for assistance with the new King's history courses."

"You're kidding," the master's voice lowered. "So….have you actually met _them_?"

Unbidden, Akaashi found his eyes drawn to watch the apprentice's grin

The master swore. "Fates! I knew I shouldn't have graduated early! Well, out with it, what are they like?"

The apprentice giggled, leaning in conspiratorially. "Hmm...he's certainly _unusual,_ I'd say. Not at all what I was expecting. Especially considering...well, no, I shouldn't mention that part."

"Come on, Eiko! Don't be a tease!"

"No, _really_, Master Hekima would skin me. You'll have to wait for the festival." The apprentice hummed again, contemplative this time. "He's handsome, though. I'll give him that."

Akaashi tuned the rest of the conversation out, going back to his work rather than eavesdropping on University gossip.

ooooo

The history of Clubs was carved and etched in the cliffs that stood along Cards' eastern border. Hundreds of feet tall and elevating the land far above the rough and teaming ocean so different from the calmer western shores of Hearts.

But, Clubs history had never been one of sea travel even for the braver souls. Instead, the cliffs that separated them from the sea were the same that made Clubs prosper. The caves that lined and weaved along the cliffs were the richest resource the entire continent had to offer, giving Clubs the name "The Jewel of the Card Kingdom".

Mining made Clubs' fortune. In fact, it was nearly the only thing that made Clubs' name until the rise of the University during the Sixth Reign of the Cards' Suits. With that, the people of Clubs could be split into two amicable groups, working together to give the kingdom its' name:

The miners that enjoyed long days, working with their hands until their bags were filled with precious stones.

And those of the University that studied long into the night, reciting poetry and crafting novels until the entire continent from Hyakuzawa to Nohebi knew of Clubs' schools.

And, of course, there was Clubs Suit to serve over it all. The Queen as the best Mage in all of Clubs. The Jack as the smartest. The Ace as the strongest warrior. And The King to lead them all. Such was the way of the Card Kingdom.

Never had there been a King of Clubs from a miner family. An Ace, fairly common. A Queen, a few times. Even a Jack once. But, never a King-not since the University first began over four hundred years ago.

ooooo

Akaashi was having a fairly pleasant afternoon when someone fell off the cliff.

Curious enough, the cliffs were _normally_ a fairly pleasant place to visit. Sure, a bit windy but less with a lower spot where the wind was _normally _cut off. And, really, even if not, it was a good trade off when it came to the peace and quiet since _normally _there wasn't anyone around the cliffs far enough from the major mines.

Normally, Akaashi would find, was not his word of the day.

The stretched out cursing hit his ears first and he looked up more out of curiosity than anything.

Of course, then, seeing a man falling from the much taller cliffs around him and at least _five hundred _feet up became his next concern.

Akaashi did not stop, he didn't even give himself time to think. He just planted his feet down to grip the stone below him, sent out his magic to feel the cliffs around him, made a plan, and _pushed._

There was...there was a _very good_ reason fate chose Akaashi to be the Queen of Clubs, Mage of Earth.

The rock shifted.

The entire side of the cliff shifted until it could catch the tiny speck that was the man, pulling his momentum forward into something like a slide, smaller stones stumbling around him, until finally the speed bled out and dropped the man down in front of Akaashi's feet.

"_Fates_," the man swore, hands gripped in the grass below as he tried to catch his breath.

Akaashi watched him, trying mentally to put his own self back together since it probably wouldn't do to see the future Queen out of breath and still slightly panicked.

The man was a mess of white and black hair, clothed in loose, dirty clothes, and with finger-less black gloves still gripped around part of a rope.

A miner, then. Though a good bit away from the usual mines.

"Fates..._Fates..._thanks, the ropes broke and I-" the man looked up, gold eyes meeting Akaashi and froze.

Akaashi tried to smile encouragingly. "Good thing I could catch you in time."

The man swallowed, eyes wide. "You're….you're…"

_Ah, _Akaashi thought, resigned. He'd been recognized. Technically not supposed to happen; but, when he'd traveled with Satoshi for nearly fifteen years, it tended to be an open secret of who Akaashi would come to be.

He nodded. "Yes, I'm-"

"You're beautiful," the man finished and Akaashi blushed a bright red.

"Oh."

The man spluttered. "Oh, crap, no, sorry! Ah, I meant-Hey, you're the next Queen of Clubs, right?"

"Um...yes," Akaashi admitted before blushing deeper. He breathed out, composing himself. "Yes, I'm Akaashi Keiji."

"Yeah, yeah, I know! I'm-" The man paused, frowning. "Wait, do you know what I am?"

A miner was Akaashi's guess.

"Yes, I believe I do," Akaashi gestured to his gloves as he extended his hand, trying to help the man back to his feet. "Though a name would be helpful."

The man followed Akaashi's gaze before he himself blushed, finally moving his right hand forward to grip Akaashi's. "Ah, right. Yeah, I guess….I guess that would be good. I'm Bokuto Kotaro. It's...it's really nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," Akaashi agreed, putting the same poise and grace behind the words as he did the few times Satoshi pulled him in to talk to the citizens.

"Wow, you really look like a Queen, too," Bokuto mumbled, low enough that Akaashi wasn't sure if he was supposed to hear.

"Well...not yet," Akaashi answered anyway, giving him a polite smile.

Bokuto huffed out a laugh. "Ha, yeah, guess we've gotta wait a year. Huh?"

Interesting, Akaashi didn't know that the news had spread outside the University yet.

"I suppose," Akaashi said into the silence before nodding up to the cliffs. "Though, hopefully, be more careful next time you climb. No stone is worth your life!"

Bokuto grinned, the gesture seeming far too alive for someone who was just falling to his death. "No worries, I've been climbing the cliffs for my entire life. Never had _both _my ropes break on me." He winked. "Suppose it was just an act of Fate?"

"I'd hope the Fates wouldn't want to see you dead."

"Not dead if you caught me, is it? Just good timing!" He dug in his pocket to pull out a dark stone. "Besides, the cave I found has black opal in it. Entire clusters. That's worth a few risks, here and there."

Akaashi hummed. "If you say so."

Bokuto stopped, looking up at Akaashi with a smile that was almost shy.

"I, um, kind of hoped I could meet you in a bit different circumstances." This time the smile was definitely shy. "Thank you, though. For catching me."

Akaashi felt heat rising in his cheeks even though blushing anymore would be completely ridiculous.

"Of course." Akaashi smiled back. "Glad I was here."

ooooo

"Wake up, Keiji! Time to greet this Fates blessed day we have!"

Akaashi groaned, just as his curtains were thrown back and glaringly bright sun struck him straight in the face.

Despite trying, Akaashi was _not _a morning person.

"No, seriously, get up! I don't have much time until the actual servants come."

"You're not even supposed to be here," Akaashi muttered, obstinately shoving his face back into the pillow.

"No, I'm not," the pillow was removed and the face of Konoha Akinori looked down at him, "but, I don't see Satoshi anywhere to complain now, do I?"

Akaashi sent a dry look to the future Jack of Clubs. "Why are you here ?" He frowned. "Actually, _when _did you get here? I thought you were still in the north?"

"I got in last night." Konoha perched at the edge of Akaashi's bed. "Apparently they're gathering all of our Suit here, did you know? Though, I imagine I'll have more time than you and whoever our new Ace is since Aratani's staying up in the capital."

Akaashi made a noncommittal noise, chasing away the last edges of sleep and trying to draw himself to a more poised position.

Konoha gave him a look that told him it was only partly effective.

"It's good to see you," Akaashi admitted. "...even if you _shouldn't _be seeing me."

"The tradition's already lost, Keiji," Konoha dismissed. "So, what if we weren't supposed to meet until we Claimed our titles. It was an accident. We met two years before I even came to the palace. Even crotchety, old Satoshi knows that. From there, honoring the old tradition of not talking is pointless. No, worse than pointless, it's annoying."

"Historically-"

Konoha cut him off. "Oh, don't you dare. I've been studying history practically before you were born."

Akaashi's found it was particularly annoying to try to win any kind of information based arguments with a future Jack. Especially one that was practically raised in the University with two parents as teachers.

Konoha smiled like he knew he won. "Anyway, have you heard they found the King?"

Akaashi fought back a shrug. "He was always going to come forward eventually."

"He?"

"I overheard some University gossip."

"So you are curious."

"I suppose."

Personally, other than mild interest, Akaashi didn't really care much. He'd meet the future King at the festival. Puzzling over it until then was a waste of time when he could be doing better things.

Konoha sighed in annoyance. "You really are the worst person to gossip with, Keiji."

"My humble apologies."

"And no one ever believes _you're_ the mean one." Konoha rubbed at his chin. "Truthfully, I kind of expected our King to come for another couple years. He had to have a reason to wait this long, didn't he?"

ooooo

Akaashi did not expect to see Bokuto again.

He especially did not expect to see him crouched down in Akaashi's favorite alcove, eyes darting around the hall as if trying to catch someone.

Akaashi pulled to a stop, surprise momentarily loosening his tongue. "What are you doing here?"

Bokuto's eyes landed on him before brightening. "Akaashi!"

And that's how Akaashi found himself pulled roughly into the alcove with heavy curtains falling behind him.

"Wha-"

Bokuto's hand covered his mouth and Akaashi could feel the fibers of the glove against his lips.

"Shh," Bokuto whispered. "I'm hiding!"

There was the sound of heavy footsteps outside of the curtains followed by a pause before the grumbling voice Akaashi recognized as Master Osamu. "Check the gardens. He can't have gone too far."

There was the sound of receding footsteps and then Bokuto's hand fell away from Akaashi's face and Akaashi unexpectedly couldn't think of a single thing to say.

Bokuto sighed, falling into a small heap on the window seat with his hair lit by the afternoon sun. "Sorry...ugh, Akaashi, they've been lecturing me since sunrise. I just needed a break to get my head back straight."

"You're studying here," Akaashi blurted out.

Bokuto cocked his head. "Well...yeah? Aren't you?"

"With Queen Satoshi, yes."

But, Akaashi was being trained as the future Queen and he thought Bokuto was…

"I thought you were a miner," Akaashi admitted.

"I am!" Bokuto said immediately, the sound echoing in the small space and causing Akaashi to wince. Bokuto gave him a sheepish smile, purposely lowering his voice. "I mean...I was a miner." His shoulders hunch. "Sorry, I'm still getting used to this place. It's, um, a lot different than what I'm used to."

Oh, a new student to the University, then.

"I understand," Akaashi sat next to him, offering a small smile. "Be careful about running from the Masters, though. Master Osamu is old-his knees creak."

Bokuto winced. "Yeah...I know they're just trying to do their job. I know it's important." He groaned. "I just kind of feel like my head's going to explode and they'd keep lecturing to it, anyway."

Akaashi laughed before he could stop himself and Bokuto's eyes shot up, mouth pulling up into a smile.

"It gets easier," Akaashi reassures quietly. "I think I felt the same when Queen Satoshi first signed me up for classes."

"Yeah?" Bokuto's smile brightened a little more, looking up at Akaashi like he hung the sun in the sky.

Akaashi cleared his throat, purposefully changing the subject.

"So, why the gloves?" Akaashi gestured down to where the same worn finger-less gloves contrasted with the fine University linen of the rest of Bokuto's outfit.

"Huh? Guess it's just habit mostly." Bokuto flexed his fingers. "Besides, guess I've worn them so long at this point, I wouldn't feel like me without them, you know?"

Akaashi didn't really.

Bokuto's eyes met his again. "You...you don't mind, do you? It's not like rude or offensive, right?"

Akaashi frowned, confused. "No, I don't mind."

Bokuto grinned.

"You might get a few odd looks," Akaashi said cautiously.

Bokuto shrugged with a laugh. "Like I'm not used to _those_!"

ooooo

It seemed that Bokuto Kotaro, for reasons as yet unknown, had decided to become a decided fixture in Akaashi Keiji's life.

Akaashi himself was rather unsure how he felt about this.

Probably because every conversation he had with the man left him feeling somewhat unbalanced and Akaashi _hated _feeling less than put together.

"Whatcha reading?" A head ducked over his shoulder, far too close for casual acquaintances and Akaashi stopped himself from another ridiculous blush.

"'A History of the Cards' Educational Rise in the Post War Years,'" Akaashi commented, subtly moving to the side of the bench for more space.

Not that it mattered when Bokuto flopped down next to him with that particular grace of a young puppy. "Hey! No way, Master Hekima just assigned me that last week!"

Akaashi's head shot up. "Really?"

"Yeah? Why?"

"Nothing." Akaashi frowned. "That's...a lot more than I expected for her beginning class."

"Oh." Bokuto shrugged. "Well, you know, I guess they have me on a bit of an advanced track since I came so late."

Akaashi continued to frown. Really, most of the University students started in their mid to late teens. Bokuto wasn't _that _much older than the general student.

"What do you think of it," Akaashi asked curiously, gesturing back to the book.

Bokuto paused. "It's...alright, I guess." He looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. "Would help if they stop mentioning whatever they mean with comparative philosophies."

Akaashi nodded, already pulling out some parchment. "It's because their references are _way _too much if you haven't gone into comparative foundation practices between the Clubs' University and the Diamonds' Institution." He scratched out a list of books. "Here, try these from the library. They should help."

Bokuto took the list, looking between it and Akaashi with large eyes. "I…._Thank you, _Akaashi."

Akaashi smiled. "It's no problem. Honestly, I'm not sure why Master Hekima didn't start with-"

"Eep!"

And that's all Akaashi heard before Bokuto practically dove off the bench and into the bush behind them.

"Don't tell him I'm here," Bokuto hissed from the bush.

"Who?"

"_Satoshi!"_

Akaashi's eyes drew up just in time to see the Queen gliding across the University gardens until his eyes landed on Akaashi.

Akaashi stood, bowing his head in greeting. "Queen Satoshi."

"Akaashi, good." His mentor gave a faint smile of approval when he saw the book in Akaashi's hands. "How are your studies going?"

"As expected," Akaashi said smoothly, shifting the smallest bit to cover the bush that Bokuto was hiding in. "I have my lessons with Master Hekima and Master Osamu this afternoon."

"Excellent." Satoshi nodded. "So you're aware, I've informed Master Isamo that I've cancelled your morning lessons for next Friday. I'd hope you could find the time to indulge me for breakfast."

Akaashi smiled, a break for his birthday. "I'd be honored, My Queen."

His old mentor's face softened slightly. "It's good to see you enjoying the gardens."

"They're beautiful," Akaashi agreed.

"I'm sure the University gardeners would be happy to hear you think so," Satoshi said in his way of suggesting without the impoliteness of a demand.

"Then, I shall endeavor to tell them," Akaashi agreed.

Satoshi inclined his head, eyes warm. "And I shall leave you to your studies. Farewell, Akaashi."

"Farewell, My Queen."

Akaashi watched him leave, trying very hard not to notice the way the bush was shifting suspiciously behind him.

"He's gone," Akaashi finally reported.

Bokuto stuck his head out, picking the leaves out of his hair. "How are you soooo good at that?"

"Covering for people in bushes," Akaashi asked lightly.

"No, you know," Bokuto waved a hand, falling back onto the bench, "all the polite royalty stuff! You're _amazing._"

"Oh." Akaashi was definitely not blushing. "It's just practice, I suppose. Queen Satoshi's been training me since I was five, after all."

Bokuto groaned, head falling in his hands. "I'm _terrible _at remembering all the etiquette stuff. Master Isamo tells me all the time!"

Akaashi hummed. "Master Isamo's _always_ been strict, especially with the new University students. Don't worry, I'm sure you're not as terrible as he says."

Bokuto grimaced. "Nah, he's….actually got a point with that one. Etiquette's never been my thing, even my mom used to scold me about it."

"Even so. It's a new skill," Akaashi reassured lightly. "You have to give it time. No one's perfect in their first year, you shouldn't worry about trying to be."

Bokuto looked up at him, face shifting to an oddly vulnerable expression that Akaashi couldn't quite understand. "You don't expect me to be? By the end of the year, I mean?"

"Of course not." Akaashi frowned. "It's only your first year here, you always have more time later."

Bokuto was still giving him that open expression that Akaashi didn't know what to do with so Akaashi coughed lightly. "Why were you hiding from Queen Satoshi? I promise he's not as scary as he looks!"

Bokuto laughed, ending with a silly grin. "Okay, one, that's a _complete_ lie, Akaashi! I have classes with him, too! He's _terrifying_!"

"He's not!" He blinked. "Wait, you have classes with Satoshi?"

Satoshi normally only taught classes to the really advanced students or the ones the University thought had high potential at working with the University or palace one day.

"Well, not on magic, obviously." Bokuto shook the question away. "Anyway, two, I'm not supposed to be talking to you, right? Why wouldn't I hide?"

Akaashi tilted his head, confused.

He knew some of Clubs' commoners had trouble talking to the Suit members, even future Suit members, but he never really expected Bokuto to be the type intimidated by formality.

"I'm fine with you talking to me," Akaashi said softly.

Bokuto beamed. "And I'm fine talking to you! But, best not let Satoshi find out, right?"

"...Alright?"

Akaashi wondered if he was just doomed to feel unbalanced around one Bokuto Kotaro.

He suspected he was.

ooooo

Akaashi was fairly ambivalent about his birthday.

It was another day in a year of his life. He didn't really understand why it should hold more significant than that.

He did enjoy having an easy morning, though, being able to have a series of unrushed hours to sit on the balcony outside the Queen of Clubs' suite and talk idly with Satoshi without having to watch the time until their next commitment.

It reminded him of the earlier years of his life, back before King Susumu's death when Satoshi used to take them more to travel along the different University branches rather than spending most of their year tied down to the capital.

"Did I tell you?" Satoshi sipped as his tea. "For the fall festival, Nekomata offered to bring _another _case of champagne along with the usual Diamond vodka. I swear the old man may truly be trying to get the entire kingdom drunk."

Akaashi smiled back. At 95, there weren't many that Satoshi _could _call 'old' except for the Queen Nekomata of Diamonds and in an odd way Queen Suga of Spades.

Satoshi hummed. "I suppose it would be most fitting to start the festival with the champagne then since it's the most unusual of the gifts. What do you think, Akaashi?"

Akaashi thought that champagne always tickled his nose in a weird way that made him constantly feel the need to sneeze.

"The champagne will work fine," Akaashi agreed.

There was a loud sigh suddenly coming up from the courtyard below and Akaashi and Satoshi both tensed in their seat at the sound of raised voices.

"He can't be _that _bad," said a laughing voice that Akaashi recognized as Master Tamane, the University master of poetry.

"He is," Master Isamo groaned back. "He absolutely is!"

"But, it's such an _honor_," Tamane teased back. "Be more grateful, Isamo!"

"It _should _be an honor," Isamo corrected. "It _would _be an honor if the idiot could even learn the simple difference between the place setting for a meeting of the Suits and one for visiting dignitaries! He's hopeless, Tamane, I might as well be teaching the wall behind him rather than a future King."

"Excuse me," Satoshi said to Akaashi, face tense and eyes dark.

Akaashi nodded, an undignified jerk of his head.

"You have a year," Tamane consoled, still laughing.

Isamo huffed. "No, _he _has a year! Then, the idiot can go ahead to Claim his Kingship for all the good that will do and-if there's any common sense _at all _left among the Fates-they'll declare him unworthy and we can go back to finding a _real _King for Clubs!"

Tamane's echoing laughter cut off with an abrupt halt as a third voice entered the mix.

"Master Tamane, Master Isamo," Satoshi murmured, voice as cold and unforgiving as the seas beyond the cliffs. "If you would not mind, I've found I need to speak to the both of you...about your future at the University and, more particularly, your future with the Suit."

Akaashi waited silently on the balcony above, heart hammering loudly in his chest even though he couldn't quite pick out the exact reason beyond the cause.

Satoshi returned barely ten minutes later, laying his napkin back down in his lap and returning to his meal as if nothing had happened. "Akaashi, Master Katsumi will now be your teacher for court etiquette due to Master Isamo's _unfortunate _resignation from this branch."

"I understand," Akaashi said, not quite able to tap down on the slight shake in his tone.

Satoshi sighed, looking up. "It would be in all of our best interests if you forgot you overheard that, Akaashi. Further, I encourage you to keep a sharp ear away from the University gossip this year. You _should _get to form your own opinions of your Suit. Don't let your mind be clouded by others' praises and criticisms."

ooooooo

Bokuto grinned, collapsing next to Akaashi to lay on the grass of the cliff. "See, I told you Satoshi was terrifying! Did you hear he fired Master Isamo?"

Akaashi's hands tensed around his book. "I'm sure if he did, then Master Isamo did something that deserved it."

Bokuto hummed. "Yeah, maybe so, I still just kind of feel bad for the guy, you know? Gotta be hard starting over again after spending so much time at one place?"

Akaashi looked up, taking note of Bokuto's looser clothes and the way sweat curled at the ends of his hair. "You were out climbing again, weren't you?"

"Yep!" He smiled up at him. "Best way to relax."

"It's dangerous," Akaashi said, struck suddenly with the idea of Bokuto falling only without Akaashi's magic there to catch him.

Bokuto boosted himself with his arms. "Nah, not really. I mean not unless _both _of your ropes break on you; but, that's like an _insane _coincidence." He winked at Akaashi. "Don't worry about me, Akaashi, I've been doing this all my life. I know how climbing like the back of my hand!" He laughed, holding up his gloved hand as he grinned at Akaashi. "Actually, scratch that, I know climbing even _better _than I know the back of my hand."

Akaashi let himself smile back. "You love it that much?"

"Yeah," Bokuto looked out at the sea, grin falling gradually. "Hey, Akaashi, you want to know a secret?"

"Okay," Akaashi said and wondered when his voice got softer.

"I was really scared to come here." Bokuto didn't look back at him. "Like _terrified _kind of scared. I just...this is stupid, I _know _this is stupid...it's just I'm _good _at mining. I'm good at climbing and knowing which rocks to choose and how best to cut a stone and...I _know _that stuff. I don't know…," he made at a vague gesture back at the University, "I don't know all of this. I'm not good at it. Even if I want to be. Even if I want to be more than anything in the world." Bokuto let out a slow breath. "It's really hard to leave something you know you're good at it for something you're not."

"That's not stupid." Akaashi's hand came to his shoulder, a light touch but just enough for Bokuto to look over in surprise. "That's not stupid at all. So, what convinced you to come?"

"I wanted to," Bokuto blurted out before blushing. "I mean...I _needed _to, you know? I was never just going to abandon all of this here just because I was scared." His eyes dropped back down. "I I know I should have probably come earlier."

"You're here now," Akaashi said quietly.

"Yeah, but I _should've _come sooner." Bokuto shrugged. "My parents were old. I mean like they were already kind of old when they had me so I guess...It doesn't matter. Mom knew more about gem cutting than anyone in the town and Dad showed me everything he knew about climbing." He looked back to the ground. "But, Dad died when I was a kid and Mom needed help and I could help so…," He rubbed the back of his neck. "I waited. I figured all of this stuff would be fine until I could come so, I stayed back to help Mom."

Akaashi hesitated, not wanting to ask the question.

"She died last summer," Bokuto answered anyway. "It's alright, we knew it was coming. She was...it was a really long life." He gestured back at the University, this time with a small smile. "She always wanted me to come here. Both her and Dad, they tried to convince me when I was a kid."

He turned to Akaashi then and his smile grew like seeing the sun from parting clouds.

Akaashi swallowed around the lump in his throat. "And are you happy you came here?"

Bokuto paused, tilting his head as he considered.

"Yeah," he said slowly. "Yeah, I think I am. Besides….I got to meet _you_, right? And I'm definitely glad about that."

Akaashi breathed, realizing as he did that he'd been holding his breath.

He smiled back, warm and sincere and nothing like the polite smile he normally gave.

"I'm glad I met you, too."


	2. Part 2: January through February

A/N: Warning for anxiety and panic attack. See end notes for details

ooooooo

Bokuto was pouting.

Akaashi was _ignoring _him.

One of these tasks was working better than the other.

_I'm the future Queen, _Akaashi reminded himself, _I'm supposed to handle every situation with poise and dignity._

Bokuto let out a pitiful whine.

_Every. Situation._

Bokuto sniffed slightly, turning big, sad eyes up at Akaashi.

_Oh for the sake of the Fates..._

Akaashi sighed in resignation. "It's really not that big of a deal!"

"It was your _birthday,_ Akaashi," Bokuto said, pout somehow intensifying ten fold. "I can't believe I missed your _birthday!_"

"I don't even care about my birthday."

"It's the most important day of the year," Bokuto continued. "There should probably be like a party or, hey, a _parade_-"

"Please, no."

"Something just really spectacular, you know! So that no can forget it ever!" Bokuto all but collapsed against the grass. "And I missed it!"

"Technically, I don't think you can _miss _something if you weren't told about it," Akaashi said, trying his hardest to keep his tone nice and polite to fight off the dryness that was just _begging _to come out.

"Details," Bokuto dismissed before he suddenly brightened. "I know!"

Akaashi sincerely doubt he did.

"We should have a make up birthday party! A second birthday!"

Poise lost it's doomed battle so Akaashi could roll his eyes.

"Absolutely not!"

"It's perfect!" Bokuto beamed. "Who doesn't want a second birthday?!"

"_Me!" _

Bokuto tsked. "Only because you haven't seen the awesome party I'm going to throw you!"

Akaashi actually gave into a groan, shutting his eyes to massage his temples

"Honestly, Bokuto, if it matters so much to you, just throw me one next year!"

Bokuto stopped.

Akaashi cautiously opened his eyes.

Bokuto was watching him with a warm sort of smile, the one that caught in the gold of his irises in a way that Akaashi was still trying to figure out.

"Okay," Bokuto agreed softly. "Next year, then. Next year, I'm throwing you the best party ever. Just wait."

Akaashi breathed out. "Next year."

Of course, next year, Akaashi would be back in the capital and two months into the insanity of running a kingdom, but...well, he supposed he may be able to take a _small _break. Not for just a party, but to check in with one of the University branches. For Clubs, obviously ...Just for a day or so.

ooooo

A package dropped in Akaashi's lap, enclosed in cuts of parchment more akin to a logic puzzle than wrapping.

Konoha grinned. "I've been practicing my origami skills!"

"Aratani made a mistake leaving you unattended."

Konoha let out a bark of laughter. "All this sass and to your future Jack. For shame, Akaashi!" He paused, looking at Akaashi expectantly. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

Akaashi tired and failed to find where the wrapping even began.

Konoha snickered, finally giving in and passing him a knife.

"What is it," Akaashi asked, slipping the knife carefully along the edges to try not to undo the careful folding work.

"A birthday present. A bit late, sure; but, that's what you get when you've been stuck to Satoshi pretty much twenty-four hours solid."

"I'm not _always _with Satoshi."

Konoha dismissed it. "Fine or hidden away in one of your little study corners."

Akaashi shook his head, not even bothering to argue. "What is it with obsessing over my birthday this year?"

"Oh?"

Akaashi paused in his cutting to find Konoha regarding him with a curious look.

He blushed. "It's nothing. Just a University student I've talked with before that wanted to throw me a party. I said 'no'."

Konoha hummed, hopping up on Akaashi's desk and if anything looking even more interested. "Ooooh, a University student intriguing enough to warrant multiple conversations with our reserved future Queen."

"I haven't been talking to him that much." Akaashi rolled his eyes.

"_Him_," Konoha repeated, tapping on his chin. "Enough for him to ask about your birthday."

Akaashi resolutely decided to stay completely silent and _not _give Konoha any more to tease him about.

Konoha huffed out a laugh as he pushed Akaashi's present towards him. "Fine, fine, I'm done for now! Go on and open your present before I get caught here."

Akaashi moved onto sliding through the last bits of paper before finally looking down at…

He held up the book. "A geological glossary?"

Mining was Club's main business. Akaashi felt like he'd learned enough about rocks in the fifteen or so years since he started his studies. In fact, he was positively sure of it.

Yet, Konoha's gifts always tended to be more complex than Akaashi's first thoughts.

The man in question gave his famous barely there sort of smirk. "I think you'll find it more interesting than you think, Keiji."

ooooo

Akaashi did not know enough about rocks.

In fact, Akaashi knew nowhere close as much about rocks as he once believed back in his young, naive days of roughly a week ago.

On a related note, Konoha's secret agenda behind Akaashi's new gift might just be to drive Akaashi absolutely _insane._

Akaashi glared back at the book in his hands before staring back at the rock. He refrained from muttering under his breath because, Fates, if he was to be driven insane by rocks than _at least_ the last thing to go would be his dignity.

"Akaashi?"

Akaashi nearly jumped, twisting around to find Bokuto.

"What are you doing down here," Akaashi blurted out before blushing.

Bokuto laughed, gesturing between his climbing rope and the cave. "Um, I kinda think that's supposed to be my question."

Akaashi blinked, still trying to formulate a response.

"I heard you talking to yourself," Bokuto continued cheerfully.

_Fates, _Akaashi swore mentally.

Bokuto smiled. "So, what are you doing here?"

"A-a friend of mine gave me this book for my birthday," Akaashi admitted, holding open the book. "I thought I'd come here to see what I could figure out; but, I'm...well, it's harder than I expected it to be."

"What are you working on?"

Akaashi sighed, giving in to pointing at the rock cluster in front of him. "Is that garnet or ruby?"

Bokuto cocked his head, looking down at the deep red stones. "Um, neither actually. Probably spinel."

"What."

"Sorry." Bokuto shot him a grin, digging out a small cut of glass and a mirror. He held them up until the sun outside was angled to shine through the rocks and nodded. "Yep, spinel. Easy mistake to make, though. Forgers are trying to sell it off as ruby _all the time _down closer to the markets."

Akaashi groaned, burying his face in the book and, for once, not even caring if it was undignified. "I hate this book."

Bokuto laughed again. "Hey, no, don't worry about it. I've been picking these out for like forever and I still couldn't tell without the light." He hummed. "Actually, I gave Mom a spinel necklace like five years ago for her birthday because I thought it was sapphire."

Akaashi cautiously looked up.

Bokuto beamed. "She said it gave it more character."

Akaashi managed a smile, shaking his head at the way it made Bokuto's grin even more ridiculous.

"Want to know a trick, though," Bokuto continued, slipping down to pick a clump off the ground, "the _best _things to find are the ones where you get your hands dirty."

He tossed the clump over to Akaashi, who held it up skeptically. "Isn't this just a rock?"

Bokuto shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. Here. Check and see."

He handed over a small chisel, gesturing for Akaashi to hit it.

Akaashi took it, setting down the book and focusing on the rock, ignoring the way it rubbed dirt on his palm.

"You need a bit of force," Bokuto instructed.

Akaashi concentrated, pushing the tiniest bit of his magic behind it to start a crack before hitting it.

The rock cracked open into two halves, dark red stones glinting out of it.

Bokuto winked, holding up the glass to see how the light shone through it. "And _that's _ruby."

"How'd you know it was inside," Akaashi asked, still looking at the dark stone in his hand like it would melt back into the bland grey stone outside.

"I didn't," Bokuto said, dropping down to sit on the ground. "No one does. That's why you've gotta check."

Akaashi hummed, drawing his finger along the tiny formations inside the rock to feel their points.

"Wait," Bokuto frowned. "How did you get down here anyway without climbing rope?"

Akaashi waved a hand, not bothering to look up as the very rocks of the cave shifted around him until they formed something like a staircase leading outside.

"Oh. Right." Bokuto grinned sheepishly. "I always forget about the magic. I'm terrible at it."

"And I'm apparently terrible at identifying ruby from spinel," Akaashi said, finally pocketing the stone to join Bokuto. He tried not to think too much of the kind of spells he'd need to get the dirt out of his clothes. "You were right earlier. You _are _good at this."

Bokuto blushed a dark red up to his ears. "Well, um, the mining, ah….heh, I guess I had to be good at something, right? To make up for the University."

"You underestimate yourself," Akaashi remarked absently. "One afternoon and you've already taught me more than I managed with my book all week."

Bokuto smiled, a tiny, pathetic looking thing when compared with his usual grin. "Yeah, maybe…"

An uncomfortable silence fell in the space between them-the first that Akaashi had ever found when talking to Bokuto and it….Akaashi didn't particularly like the way it itched as his skin like too tight clothes and cold damp rain.

He breathed in, trying to think of a way to break it before Bokuto spoke again.

"Hey, Akaashi," Bokuto asked, eyes drawn to the floor of the cave. "You know about magic, right? So, that means you know more about the complicated stuff like the Fates and destiny, yeah?"

Akaashi hesitated. "Satoshi...Queen Satoshi always tells me to listen to the magic."

Akaashi had always found it particularly confusing to try to listen to something that was simply a part of him. Instead, he had always preferred magic as a complex operation, an elegant system of weighing the situation and adjusting the parts to find the perfect Order that pushed ideas into reality. It required consideration, yes; but, it was smoother that way. Like the solid ground beneath his feet.

He didn't have to _listen _to the magic; he just had to know it-purely, in a way constructed from careful observation.

But still Bokuto nodded, looking abruptly relieved, so Akaashi didn't mention the distinction.

"Right, so how do the Fates know...," Bokuto took a deep breath and Akaashi could see the movement slowly move through his lungs until he squared his shoulders. "How do the Fates know they didn't make a mistake?"

Akaashi's brows knitted together.

"I mean," Bokuto continued, the words coming faster now as if in a rush to get out, "it's right there when we're born, right? _Destiny_ for...for everyone I guess. Every single person alive has this great predisposed plan that they're supposed to be living up to. But, how do the Fates really know? I mean…," his head twisted to Akaashi, eyes locking with his like a fire to the earth. "It's like the rock! You don't know-you _can't _know until you crack it open and see what's inside! What if….what if people are like _that?! _What if the Fates...what if they made a mistake? What if they screwed up and gave a destiny to the wrong person or what if," Bokuto's eyes dropped, "what if they were expecting there to be a gem inside; but, really….it's just a rock?"

Akaashi watched as Bokuto's shoulders hunched.

"You know, Akaashi," Bokuto said, very, very quietly, "sometimes rocks are just going to be rocks. It doesn't matter how much time they spend trying to be something different."

Akaashi moved in the silence that followed, leaning down to sit right across from Bokuto in a way that he hopes will make the other man look back up. To grin and laugh like he did so often. That was what Akaashi would like to see.

In the end, Akaashi wasn't sure which of them ends up more surprised when Akaashi's hand lands on Bokuto's cheeking, rubbing a line right below his eye.

It worked, though, that's all Akaashi could really think when Bokuto blinked up at him, startled into meeting Akaashi's eyes.

Akaashi gave a soft smile. "Do you know what Clubs' castle is made from?"

Bokuto frowned, confusion flashing through the gold. "Akaashi?"

"No?" Akaashi hummed. "Well, luckily for both of us, that's actually one of the few geological tidbits I remember from the book." He didn't look away from Bokuto's eyes. "It's limestone, did you know? One of the most common types of rock there is. Isn't that interesting?"

"Akaas-"

"So," he continued. "I suppose if you're asking what kind of destiny the Fates could have in store for a simple, common rock, I'd tell you it looks like they need it to build a castle."

He paused, making sure Bokuto was watching as he pulled out the stone from earlier. "But, you know what else I find fascinating? That when I was handed this rock someone smart told me there was no way to know what's inside. For anyone. So, it could've been a stone. Just some simple limestone I could use to build my own castle." He winked. "A vacation home, I guess. _Or _I could have cracked it open and found a ruby. But until then…,"

He breathed out, handing one half of the stone over to Bokuto.

"Quit assuming you know what's in the rock," Akaashi finished.

Bokuto coughed, the later half beginning to sound like a laugh as he finally-_finally_-smiled back.

"Thanks, Akaashi."

ooooo

"Concentrate, Akaashi," Satoshi advised. "Don't just focus on the larger form, work it into the very details."

Akaashi pursed his lips and the clay and rubble shifted, the form melting apart and reforming until it formed something even closer to Satoshi's likeness.

"Excellent," Satoshi said, leaning in closer to examine the finer details of the statue's embroidered sleeves as the statue shifted similarly, mirroring the Queen's exact pose.

"We'll work more on your range for next lesson." Satoshi tapped his chin. "Who knows? I might contact Nekomata and see if the old man will let you practice targeting it all the way over to Diamond's court."

Akaashi nodded, sipping idly at his tea.

As he waited while Satoshi tested the model's response rate in mirroring motions, Akaashi found himself watching the statue, too. His magic had pulled at the chamber's walls, pulling in details from the closest available source. But, if Akaashi focused closer, he could see the mixture of larger pieces mixed in among the smaller rubble. Larger pebbles and a few shells and maybe...well, maybe a touch extra of limestone.

"Akaashi?"

Akaashi turned up immediately, a slight smile playing across his face that he quickly schooled back to a more studious expression.

Satoshi frowned, hand going to Akaashi's own and lifting it up to examine closer.

His teacher hummed in confusion. "That's strange. Now what could you have been working with to get so much dirt under your nails, Akaashi?"

Akaashi jerked, looking down at his free hand and surprised to see that Satoshi was right. The edges of his nail beds were a darker brown, stained with the looser muds that lined some of the cave walls.

"Visiting the gardens," Satoshi asked curiously.

"No, I-," Akaashi shook himself out of it. "No, I got a book. From...from the _library. _A geological glossary. I-I thought it would be helpful to examine the caves, to learn more about Clubs' mining practices."

"Ah." Satoshi's confusion cleared, looking approving. "A reasoned course of action for a future Queen, Akaashi. Though, of course, I'm sure if you wanted to know more about Clubs' exports, Master Kazane would be happy to assist you."

"I'll speak with him soon, then." Akaashi looked down at his fingers, curling them in and out to see the way the dirt stood out against his perfectly while shirt. "If you'll excuse me momentarily."

Satoshi nodded in assent. "There's a basin on the next floor."

"I'm sorry for interrupting the lesson."

"Honestly, Akaashi, it's nothing to apologize for." Satoshi's lips quirked up in a small smile. "Though, normally, the saying goes we get our hands dirty _after _politics rather than before, yes?"

Akaashi smiled back, recognizing one of his teacher's rather rare attempts at a joke.

"Go on and get yourself cleaned up," Satoshi gestured to the door. "There's a few more techniques I want to review before we break for dinner."

Akaashi nodded, turning out of the door and heading off to one of the servants' stations where a basin of water sat, freshly filled and waiting for the day's later chores.

He dipped his water into the bowl, concentrating on the water until it swirled deeply into the crevices of his nails, pulling the stains away as if they were never there in the first place.

_Never should have been there, _Akaashi thought, internally annoyed at himself for getting so careless in his appearance. At least shouldn't have been there from the moment Akaashi stepped out of the caves and fixed the rest of his clothes. He'd forgotten how the dirt could rub into not just his clothes, but his skin.

Foolish, really.

A beginner's mistake that Akaashi couldn't remember making since he was six and restless, running between the trees of the garden before Satoshi called him in for lessons, waving his hand and clearing the dirt from Akaashi's cheeks with and fond yet exasperated expression. _You can't be greeting dignitaries with a dirty face, Akaashi_.

Akaashi smiled softly, letting the memory fade away as he shook out his hands over the bowl.

"Hekima!"

Akaashi jumped, hands knocking into the basin as he did and upholding the entire bowl right on his white, pressed shirt.

"Osamu," greeted the higher voice Akaashi recognized as Master Hekima followed by the distinctive creak of Master Osamu's knees.

Akaashi tensed, shifting the shadows on instinct as he tried to wipe the water off his front.

"Excellent, I was hoping to run into you," Osamu said, sounding relieved as his voice echoed softly down the next hall where Akaashi hid. "I wanted to speak to you about your teaching...well, I suppose the best word would be _approach _when it comes to our next King."

"Oh," said Hekima and there was a distinctive note there, a wariness that Akaashi couldn't quite pick out.

Osamu hummed in agreement. "It's an interesting dilemma, isn't it?"

A pause.

"I try to avoid thinking of dilemmas without solutions," she replied carefully.

"Ah, always the pragmatist, Hekima. And that's why you're strategy while I prefer to deal in history." Osamu sighed. "It would help if our new King wasn't so-"

"Hush," Hekima ordered quickly. "You heard what Satoshi did to Isamo."

"Different," he finished. "I was going to say different." Another pause. "And Isamo was always a pretentious one, wasn't he? If it wasn't this, I'm sure his mouth would have gotten him eventually."

Hekima declined to comment. "I tend to have a few of my apprentices to help me with the King's lessons. I've always found strategy to be best taught as part of a larger conversation and, well, I _hoped _having a few closer to his age would help ease him into it."

Osamu laughed dryly. "Yes, but he isn't a typical University student, now is he?"

"He is...rather odd. Even despite the obvious," Hekima said, lowering her voice enough that even Akaashi barely ten steps away had trouble hearing. "Not at all what I expected. I can hardly ever get him to talk in the lessons and then when he does, it's…."

"Like he's suddenly forgotten everything you've been teaching for the past three months," Osamu finished and Hekima sighed.

"It would help if the boy wasn't so tense all the time," Hekima added, sounding exhausted.

"Yes, but then he'd be relaxed and who _knows _what kind of nonsense he'd say then," Osamu joked and Hekima chuckled lightly, the sound of footsteps starting back down the hall. "Come on, we can go back to my office and work on our next lesson plans together. A strategy, you know? Strength in numbers and all that."

Hekima hummed and Akaashi could hear the smile in her voice. "Why, my dear friend, you know I can never resist when you resort to talking strategy at me."

The footsteps faded away and Akaashi finally stepped back out of the shadows, the front of his shirt still soaked to the bone and his mind faintly buzzing with the masters' conversation.

He looked down, blinking suddenly before almost rolling his eyes.

He snapped, the water pulling away and flowing back into the basin, leaving his shirt as dry as it started.

Honestly, with how absentminded he was today, he'd be lucky to get through even the simpler of Satoshi's reviews.

ooooo

"Wait; but, if magic just works like this, then how are you so good with earth?"

Akaashi felt oddly warm as he leaned over Bokuto's shoulder to look at the diagram.

"Well, I wouldn't say _just _like this," he explained, fingers brushing lightly against the page. "But, yes, at its most basic level all magic comes down to three parts. Feeling what's already there. Thinking of the elements you want to change. And pushing it into existence."

Bokuto titled his head. "But, if it's all the same thing, why do Clubs' Queens always work with earth while Diamonds works with water?"

Akaashi smiled. "That gets a bit more complicated. If you'd like I can bring you some of the more advanced journals on magical theory?"

"Thanks, Akaashi!" Bokuto beamed.

"The short answer is that there shouldn't be specialties," Akaashi continued. "At least not from a theoretical sense. Especially not specialties that don't change from generation to generation, not even when you account for the kingdoms' different environments adapting mages. And really, for a large part, the distinctions don't matter." He twisted his hand and fire swirled briefly along his palm. "That's why I can still use fire magic even though Queen Kyotani of Hearts is still the technical Mage of Fire. Plus, of course, there's all the spells that combine multiple elements."

Bokuto frowned. "So, what, the Mage of Earth title stuff is just tradition?"

"And that's where it gets more complicated," Akaashi said, smile widening. "There _shouldn't _be specialties. Not logically, not if magic all functions similarly. And yet, there _are _specialties." He shook his head, looking up at the sky and the way the trees of the garden twisted around them to provide shade. "Year after year, generation and generation, even with completely different types of people, Clubs' Queens _always _have a special affinity for earth magic while Hearts does for fire, Spades for air, and Diamonds for water. It shouldn't be possible and yet…"

"Then, why," Bokuto asked, leaning forward on his hands to watch Akaashi talk.

"No one knows. Not for sure, at least." Akaashi laughed ruefully. "Some blame it on self-fulfilling prophecy while others account it to the Fates. A few even say it's just familiarity with specific environments." He ducked his head slightly. "Personally, I have my own theory."

Bokuto smiled. "Yeah?"

"I think it's about what the kingdoms need." He breathed in the scent of the garden, the first flowers of spring finally peaking in among the perennials. "Clubs is obvious. Between the mines and the cliffs, of course, we'd need control over earth more. Same for Spades' fields, controlling the wind means circumventing the more extreme weather conditions. But, then, you have Hearts and Diamonds…"

He flipped through Bokuto's book, turning until he found the map of the Card Kingdom. "For a kingdom so reliant on their ports, you'd expect the Hearts' element to be water and yet, it's fire the exact opposite."

"Huh," Bokuto said, tracing along the eastern coasts of the map.

"That's why I don't buy into the familiarity theories." He smiled. "If mages learned magic simply by what they're close to, there's no chance that Hearts would be fire while the drier mountains of Diamonds gets water."

"But, based on need," Akaashi continued. "A focus on fire magic would be terrible for Diamonds, too many thick forests; yet, water? It's perfect, it helps their smaller villages too far from the rivers. While for Hearts, control over fire helps them keep their goods dry, keeps the fires going even when everything around is damp from the ocean." His hand unconsciously went to the Mark under his shirt. "I don't think it's the environment adapting the mage, necessarily. I think it's Queens are chosen based on the needs of the environment. After all, if the Fates know our destinies well enough to Mark us on birth, why wouldn't they choose someone with more of an affinity to a specific element."

Bokuto grinned. "So, it's destiny again?"

"Maybe." Akaashi swallowed down a sudden shyness. "I'm not sure, of course. It's just my theory. No one but the Fates can know for certain."

"I like it," Bokuto declared, his shoulder snug against Akaashi. "It's a good theory."

"Well," Akaashi was not going to blush, "then, I'm happy to help. Why the sudden interest in magic?"

"I thought it was obvious!" Bokuto laughed.

Akaashi waited for the answer.

"Because you love it, Akaashi!"

ooooo

"The Hearts Civil War," Satoshi began, voice deep and grave as it always was when he talked about this particular topic. "Today, we'll be reviewing what led to it."

Akaashi bit down on a wince, straightening slightly in his seat.

There was always….well, an extra gravity, an uncertainty even, in discussing the war that had barely ended five years ago, who's Suit still hadn't recovered to this very day.

"It began officially with the Dawn of Broken Promise-February 12th, 737," Akaashi recited. "Though, of course, some trace it back to December 29th the year before when the King and Jack of Hearts were killed, or even back further-"

"Not about dates, Akaashi," Satoshi cut through. "About causes. What led to the war happening in the first place?"

Akaashi frowned. "The Queen and Ace of Hearts hid that they were declared unworthy."

"Yes," Satoshi agreed. "One of the few times the Fates have recalled a Mark in all of Cards' history. The _only _time it hasn't immediately become common knowledge. Why, we're still not completely sure when it happened in the first place though, as you're aware, it's been generally suspected they were able to hide it for years before the war even began."

Akaashi nodded, not quite knowing what else to say.

He remembered the war. Not being in a battle, of course, but listening from the slow whispers that eventually made it out of Hearts' closed borders and into the ears of the rest of the Suits. He remembered waiting outside of meetings, of the tense way King Susumu would hold himself, locked tightly in deep conversation with the rest of his Suit. He remembered the relief at the word the war had finally ended and a new Ace of Hearts had taken his place on the throne.

He was not sure why Satoshi was reminding him of this now.

"The lesson, Akaashi, is this." Satoshi met his eyes, weight pulling down on every line of his face, making him look every possible second of his ninety-five years. "And it's the most important lesson I've ever had to teach. The kingdom must come first. In front of everything. There can be nothing more important. No single desire that comes above serving Clubs. And, when the time comes-when it's no longer your duty to lead anymore," Satoshi's mouth turned up in a wistful smile. "You have to let it go. And be honored by all the time the Fates have given you. Do you understand, Akaashi?"

Akaashi swallowed, his throat feeling abruptly dry as he looked at the soon to be former Queen.

"Thank you, my Queen," he said simply.

His mentor smiled down at him, patting shoulder just once.

"I could not find a single person better, Keiji."

ooooo

Akaashi watched idly as Bokuto tossed rocks off the cliff.

There was a certain elegance in it, a twist of his wrist that made the stone spin lightly out of his gloved hand and spiral quickly through the air.

"Akaashi?"

"Hmm," he answered, watching as a particularly pebble hung lightly in the air before arching down.

"What do you know about the Hearts Civil War?"

Akaashi looked back to Bokuto, remembering suddenly that he had his own lessons with Satoshi.

Though, he couldn't imagine _why _the Queen would possibly decide the Hearts Civil War was an appropriate topic for a beginning University student. Even one being trained for advanced studies.

"A bit," he finally answered. "Did you cover it with Queen Satoshi?"

Bokuto coughed. "Ha, yeah. I'm telling you, Akaashi, he's terrifying!"

"He's not," Akaashi said with a grin. "He's really, really not. He's just...well, strict. And definitely one for tradition. He tends to only puts his time into things he truly thinks are worthy. Clubs and his Suit at the top of the list. He cares, though. About all of Clubs' people, even new University students."

"Yeah," Bokuto asked, sounding entirely unconvinced.

"Trust me," Akaashi reassured. "He raised me since I was five. I know how to read him."

Bokuto flopped down next to him. "He raised you?"

Akaashi nodded. "My parents brought me to the palace young. Right after my magic started to get a little more than they could handle."

"Do you miss them?"

"Not really," he admitted, contemplating the question for just a second. "I hardly know them. They live in one of the northern cities; Satoshi always makes sure we visit whenever we're in the area; but...well, the Clubs Suit has always been more my family. Satoshi especially."

"What was the former King like," Bokuto asked curiously.

"King Susumu?" Akaashi hummed. "Kind. A bit like some of the older masters, I suppose. Not the stern ones; but, the ones that are more like grandparents." He smiled. "He always kept candy in his pockets, you know? He'd give it out whenever he went out into the city. Right until the time he got sick." He paused before continuing. "He was Satoshi's best friend-less strict, though, by _far. _He'd always let away with far more than Satoshi and Aratani, the Jack."

Bokuto smiled. "What about the Ace?"

"Fumiko?" Akaashi laughed. "She's worse than her husband was. King Susumu would let me get _away _with anything; his wife would _encourage _it."

"He sounds like good King."

"He was," Akaashi agreed. "They all are. A good Suit."

Bokuto looked down, weighing a rock in his right hand as if deciding whether or not to throw it. "So, about the Hearts Civil War, what do you think...what do you think a King has to do to be declared unworthy?"

Akaashi tensed, fighting down the instinctive shiver he was sure _all _Suit members felt at the very notion of losing the letter inside their Mark.

"Well," Akaashi began, tone purposefully easy to try to lighten the mood, "remember it wasn't Hearts' King that was declared unworthy, it was their Queen and Ace."

Bokuto shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. But, it can't be that much different, right?"

Bokuto glanced over at the tense way Akaashi was holding his mouth and winced. "Sorry, we don't have to talk about it. It's just been bothering me. Satoshi kept talking about how terrible it was that they hid that they were declared unworthy and how selfish it was to put their own wants above the country; but….I just kept thinking….how did it go?"

He looked back at the stone in his hand. "I mean what if they didn't even know whatever they doing was wrong? What if they thought everything was going great and then, bam, they looked down and their Mark was gone."

Akaashi hesitated. "I don't think...I don't think the Fates declare Suits unworthy based on one mistake."

"Why?"

"Because if they did they wouldn't chose people as infallible as humans to lead," he answered.

Bokuto gave him a small smile. "Okay, but that's just one mistake. What if it's more than that. What if it's a wrong _plan_, one for the entire kingdom that a King doesn't even know is wrong. _Can't _know it's wrong because...because we're just human, yeah?" He sighed. "I guess...I guess I just keep thinking even if a King is trying their best, there's still no real way to know if that's right for the kingdom. No way to know if they're soon to be unworthy."

Akaashi….Akaashi didn't particularly like this discussion.

"I suppose we trust the Fates chose well," he said.

Bokuto tilted his head. "They don't, though. Not always. If they did, Hearts wouldn't have had a Civil War."

"Yes, but, that rare," Akaashi argued. "_Exceedingly _rare. Being declared unworthy has only happened seven times in Cards entire history."

"Yeah, it's rare but-," Bokuto cut himself off, closing his eyes.

He shook his head, shoulders untensing and when he looked back at Akaashi, Bokuto was smiling again a bit ruefully.

"Sorry, we don't have to talk about this. Sorry for bringing it up." He shrugged, the last of the weight being slung off his shoulders. "I guess my point is destiny isn't as clear cut as the stories make it sound."

Akaashi smiled back, not sure how to feel about the odd shadows still hanging in the gold of Bokuto's eyes.

"No, I guess it's not," Akaashi agreed.

Bokuto nodded.

"But, then, I don't think you really have to worry about losing a Mark," Akaashi joked, trying to see Bokuto smile again.

Losing Marks should be the constant warning to the Suits; _never _the fear of those they lead.

Bokuto shot him a smile smile, still not chasing away the last shadows. "Thanks, Akaashi!"

"Of course," Akaashi answered, watching as Bokuto stood up to stretch.

Bokuto looked down at his hand, finally tossing away the stone and Akaashi watched as it glided easily through the air.

Bokuto turned to grin at him. "I guess the real question is this: When do you think Hearts is going to get around to finding their missing King?"

Akaashi laughed. "Maybe not in our lifetimes."

ooooo

Akaashi was trying very hard _not _to form an impression of the future King.

It would help greatly if people weren't so determined to speak about him.

"Kazane!" Below the balcony, Master Katsumi bent down, clearly out of breath. "Have you...seen...the _King_?"

"He ditched you, didn't he," said Master Kazane, not sounding at all surprised.

Katsumi nodded, looking chagrin. "He told me he was going to the bathroom twenty minutes ago."

"He's probably off to the town by now." Kazane huffed. "Or to the taverns, for all I know. Fates if I've ever been able to find him when our dear King decides to run off."

"And I thought he was doing so well today," Katsumi said, looking half a second away from pulling out her hair. "He didn't interrupt once this time! Quiet all morning."

Kazane shrugged. "There's the trick, then. Just when you think you've got him…"

"He'll never be ready for the festival in time," Katsumi lamented. "Not if he keeps missing lessons. Fates help us all, we're only seven months away."

"That's not our worry, Katsumi," Kazane said, not unkindly. "We can only do what we can. The rest is up to our King."

Katsumi sighed, shoulders finally slumping as Kazane guided her out of the hall.

"I just don't understand how he doesn't seem to care," Katsumi murmured, last words barely reaching Akaashi's ears. "Doesn't he realize how important this is?"

They continued down the hall and Akaashi shut his book, the pages coming back together with a decided _thunk!_

Akaashi was trying very hard _not _to form an impression of the future King.

Satoshi was right. It didn't do to form impressions of people before you met them, especially ones you'd be running a country with.

Akaashi found himself annoyed anyway.

He didn't know his King, he reminded himself. But, still, he wasn't sure he approved of him.

Not when he thought of King Susumu with his kind smiles and mints hidden in his pockets. Not when he thought of Ace Fumiko with her sharp swords and sharper eyes or Jack Aratani with her careful tone and considered advice. Definitely not when he thought of Satoshi and all the years he'd put into his kingdom without complaint. Not even when he thought of Konoha, not yet a Jack and still with an eager mind and a thousand facts at the tip of his tongue.

Yet, most of all….

Akaashi didn't know if he could approve of a King who shirked responsibility when he had citizens like Bokuto to protect. Bokuto, who worked so hard even on new tasks he'd never had the chance to learn. Bokuto, who considered destiny with such gravity that even Akaashi, who studied magic and the Fates for his entire life, found his viewpoint changing.

Akaashi could never approve of a King who didn't respect people like Bokuto.

He stood up, not even sure where exactly he was heading-maybe to find Bokuto, that was an option-he just knew he didn't want to stay still.

The problem with finding Bokuto was that, usually, it ended the other way around. The man himself was always exceptionally good at hiding himself away, especially for someone as bright and loud as Bokuto often was.

In the end, it was probably by the Fates' guidance alone that Akaashi happened to be walking down a particular corridor and slow enough that he heard the sound of breathing.

He paused, looking at the door to the tiny room, the type used more for storage than anything else.

He heard the sound of breathing again, heavy and labored as if someone was injured.

Akaashi pushed open the door without thinking.

He found Bokuto.

Akaashi froze, stomach dropping.

Bokuto was curled in the corner, his eyes shut tight and his arms wrapped around his legs as he took deep heaving breaths echoing against the walls with the sound of short gasps.

"Bokuto," Akaashi called, hesitant.

Bokuto eyes flew open, wide and scared as they landed on Akaashi.

Akaashi stopped hesitating, falling to the floor next to Bokuto and reaching for his shoulder.

Bokuto flinched-_away _from Akaashi and Akaashi felt his heart stop.

"What's wrong," he asked quickly, scanning what he could for injuries. "Are you hurt? What happened? How can I help?"

"_Not…,"_ Bokuto wheezed out, pausing to take deep gasps of air. "Not….not _hurt_…"

Akaashi stopped. "What?"

"Not hurt," he repeated. He pulled his knees closer as if the words caused him pain and, judging by the faint tremors running down his body, Akaashi thought they might. "I'm….not hurt….I'm….I'm…."

"Bokuto, what's wrong," Akaashi pressed.

"I'm….I'm….._scared_!" Bokuto grimaced as he choked out the last word as if it wasn't quite what he wanted to say.

_Oh, _Akaashi realized faintly.

It was a panic attack. Bokuto was having a panic attack.

"I understand," Akaashi said softly.

"I'm sorry….I'm sorry," Bokuto's eyes screwed shut again, sweat rolling down the side of his face as he tried and failed to catch his breath. "I'm really….really….sorry, Akaashi."

"Shh," Akaashi whispered, trying to make his voice as low and gentle as he could. "There's nothing to be sorry for. Nothing at all. I understand."

Bokuto didn't say anything, just continued to take those long wheezing gasps and Akaashi felt like his heart was breaking, sitting on a cold stone floor and watching Bokuto try to breathe.

He lifted his hand on impulse, hesitating right before it could make contact. "Can I touch you?"

Bokuto shook his head, messy hair sticking against his face. "Not...not yet."

Akaashi let his hand drop, resisting every impulse he had to try to scoot closer and find what was wrong to make it better until Bokuto could smile at him again.

Instead, he asked, "What can I do to help?"

"Just wait….it's….almost over," Bokuto's eyes squinted open, finding Akaashi. "And...And stay?...Please?"

Akaashi offered him a small smile."Of course."

So, Akaashi waited, watching closely through the minutes as Bokuto's breaths slowly became longer, until the grip on his knees started to relax.

And...

Akaashi should be good with words. He's tried, he's had enough practice. He's soothed children before, he's comforted widows, assuaged the kingdom's bankers. He knows how to keep a calm face and say just the right thing.

For Fates' sake, he's a _Mage._

There's not a spell that can stop a panic attack.

No perfect words.

Yet, if there were, for the span of the next five minutes, Akaashi is absolutely sure that if there were a spell, if there were some perfect words, he would give anything to know them. To say just one sentence and end _anything _that could be hurting Bokuto. So Bokuto could be smiling again and grinning and laughing like the warm sun after a dark night and a blue sky after the storm.

But, instead, the storm has to come first and finally, _finally, _Bokuto's breath comes out even and he slumps against Akaashi like it's the only thing keeping him up.

"Sorry," he mumbled into Akaashi's shirt. "Could feel it coming, couldn't find a better place in time. You weren't supposed to see that, _no one _is."

Akaashi lifted his hand, hesitating again before Bokuto shifted, moving his head up to meet Akaashi's hand.

"You don't have to apologize," Akaashi said, threading his fingers through Bokuto's hair. "There's nothing you've done that needs apologizing for."

Bokuto swallowed and Akaashi felt it where he was pressed against his shoulder.

"I get nervous," Bokuto admitted. "And..._scared. _More than I should."

Akaashi really hoped he couldn't hear the way Akaashi's heart had gone to his throat. "Do you have these often?"

"Not really," Bokuto said and Akaashi breathed. "Most of the times I can stop 'em when I feel them coming. Climbing helps."

Akaashi's eyes drew down to Bokuto's gloves and, for the first time, he thought of them as more than just an odd quirk and a reminder of Bokuto's home.

A safety mechanism, a protection. Something to keep Bokuto safe.

He smiled down at the gloves before looking back at Bokuto. "You know I don't think there's really an upper limit on how scared someone _should _be."

Bokuto rolled his eyes. "You're too nice to me."

"And that's definitely untrue."

"I just…," he shifted again and Akaashi pretended he didn't mourn the loss of touching him, "I get too caught up in my head sometimes. Thinking about what I _should _be doing. And what people want me to do and what they expect out of me and how much I can fail them and then…," he gestured to the room. "Sometimes, I think I'm too different for all of this stuff."

"You're wonderful," Akaashi blurted out, loud enough that Bokuto jerked to him in surprise.

"I mean…," Akaashi blushed under Bokuto's stare, "I like that you're different. I think...I think it makes it more special. You more special, that is. And I…," he was fairly sure the red was spreading to his ears, "and I really like talking to you so…."

Bokuto continued to stare at him, just long enough for Akaashi to believe that he'd never become Queen because here he was soon to die from spontaneous combustion, before finally Bokuto grinned again.

That wonderful, special, different grin that Akaashi had been waiting to see.

Bokuto grinned and his next words were deep and low, echoing in Akaashi's ears.

"Thanks, Keiji."

Akaashi felt his heart stutter and he came to a monumental realization.

ooooo

Akaashi liked him.

He _really _liked him. Liked him in the way that had him lying awake that night and staring hard at his ceiling as he remembered the exact cadence of Bokuto's voice calling him "Keiji".

Akaashi Keiji had a massive, heart-stopping, irrecoverable crush on Bokuto Kotaro.

Akaashi had never had a crush before. Nothing more than passing attraction, at least. He had absolutely no clue how to handle said situation.

…_.Fates._

_ooooooo_

A/N: I absolutely refuse to write Akaashi as anything except the kind of character who pines so hard he secretly doodles hearts around Bokuto's name and no else believes it. Thanks for reading! Up next, more pining! Chapter features a panic attack with Bokuto. If you want to skip it, stop at "Akaashi pushed open the door without thinking." and start back at "'Sorry,' he mumbled into Akaashi's shirt."


	3. Part 3: March through May

After long, careful consideration, Akaashi made the decision that Bokuto would never find out about his crush.

_Ever._

It was the rational decision, Akaashi reminded himself. Akaashi was the future Queen, Bokuto was a first year University student already busy with advanced classes. Telling him about a ridiculous crush would just distract him from his University classes and Akaashi vowed he would _never _make any part of Bokuto's life harder.

Plus, there was the timing to consider, of course! Akaashi had to leave for the capital in a little over seven months. It would be….irresponsible, yes, irresponsible to try to begin a relationship just when he _should _be focusing on his future job as a Cards' monarch.

Of course, all of those considerations were even assuming Bokuto felt the same way which was….

An answer that Akaashi was trying very hard not to consider in either direction.

So, there it was. Akaashi wouldn't tell him.

Not because he was scared! Because it was the perfectly, long considered, measured, careful, and rational decision.

ooooooo

Bokuto was going to kill him.

"Keiji!"

Akaashi's heart did that momentary beat of cardiac arrest that he still hadn't quite figured out how to stop whenever he heard his name from Bokuto's lips.

Bokuto beamed at him and Akaashi melted a bit in relief that Bokuto seemed to be feeling much better than he was last week.

That alone was probably worth Akaashi's early onset heart issues.

"Bokuto," Akaashi replied steadily before Bokuto nearly broke his composure _again _by pulling forward on Akaashi's hand and Akaashi swore he felt a jolt of electricity even with the fabric of the glove.

"Come on," Bokuto cajoled, completely oblivious as he pulled Akaashi further away from the University and to the cliffs. "There's something I want to show you!"

"Bokuto," Akaashi tried. "You have class soon."

"Please!" Bokuto turned big gold eyes on him. "Come on, you'll like it. I promise! _Please, _Keiji!"

As if Akaashi had ever been able to say no to that. Even before the crush.

"Alright," Akaashi let himself be pulled. "We just need to keep an eye on the time."

"Okay." Bokuto grinned. "I snuck out to the village last night."

Akaashi hummed. He knew vaguely there was a mining village reasonably close to this University branch. Some of the older students tended to wander there for the local taverns when they wanted a change from the University ones.

It didn't particularly surprise Akaashi that Bokuto would prefer the warmer atmosphere of a mining town to the polished night life of the University bars.

"I'm sure that was nice," he said simply.

"It was," Bokuto agreed before pausing, "it felt...it reminded me a lot of the ones back home-it's a lot bigger, though. Anyway, that's not the point, Keiji! Did you know they had shops down there?"

Honestly, Akaashi wasn't even completely sure how big the town was.

"I didn't."

"Right!" Bokuto waved his free hand dismissively. "I mean it's nothing like the craft stores here, sure. More just for the locals or part time kind of things they do on the side; but, they had a woodworking shop, Keiji! Woodworking!"

Akaashi fought back a smile, just listening to Bokuto's excitement without feeling the need to interrupt it more than necessary. "Woodworking?"

"Yeah!" Bokuto's eyes shone. "The craft-master there is really, _really _good, too! Definitely more than just a hobby! I think she used to be a miner full time; but, she says the caves got too bad for her knees. Which sucks, of course, because cave climbing is awesome; but, she didn't seem to be that upset about it _and _she is like crazy good at carving so I guess it all worked out, right?"

"It's good she has something she enjoys," Akaashi answered and Bokuto smiled at him.

"Exactly!"

Bokuto blushed suddenly, stopping as he dropped Akaashi's hand. Akaashi took the time to mourn the loss even though it seemed like they had gotten to whatever clearing Bokuto had wanted to show him.

"Um," Bokuto said shyly. "So, she kinda had this...this _one _project she said she'd been working on for ages and, well, it's beautiful and I told her that and, then, well after she saw me use it, she said I should have it because no one's been able to use it that much since her daughter got married and moved a few towns over, so….," His blush went deeper, "I mean I paid her for it, of course, but how could I not take it after that? And, Keiji, it's _beautiful_! It's so beautiful! Wait until you see!"

Akaashi smiled encouragingly, coming to sit on a larger rock as he propped his head on his hands to watch Bokuto. "And what is it?"

"Er, r-right. Wait here."

Bokuto's blush didn't get better; but, he did finally move, reaching down behind a crop of rocks and pulling out…

"Oh," Akaashi said softly.

The lute looked elegant in Bokuto's hands-a golden, honey color with gorgeous carvings in the center, clearly well-loved by its previous owners but in a way that only added to its charm rather than diminishing it.

"It is beautiful," Akaashi said, noting the hesitant look on Bokuto's face. "Do you play?"

"Um, yeah," Bokuto held the instrument carefully. "I used to, I mean. I left my old lute back home, I didn't think...I didn't want to get distracted." He swallowed, looking up at him and Akaashi felt his breath catch. "Do you want to hear it?"

"Of course," Akaashi said and if Bokuto noticed how breathless his voice had gotten than at least, he didn't comment.

Bokuto smiled as he held the lute up, fingerless gloves finally meeting the strings as he started to play.

He stumbled at first before the gestures smoothed, the chords lilting and impossibly sweet as they drifted along the rush of the waves and Akaashi's heart drumming hard in his chest.

Here was a truth. Akaashi had been studying more or less every possible academic subject since he was five years old. He learned to play various instruments with all the perfunctory precision that was impressive only because it spoke to the long hours of practice put behind it. Akaashi played with a technical style of grace; but, he knew he would never have the joy and spirit of an actual musician.

Bokuto was a musician. He played like he was putting his very soul into it even as he changed from simple chord progression to more complicated melody. His fingers moved along the strings with a swift, barely contained excitement that spoke of a love of the music that begged to be shared and Akaashi felt himself falling a little more into the trance with every beat.

Bokuto looked up, grinning when he saw Akaashi watching him and Akaashi smiled back instinctively, laughing when Bokuto threw him a wink and began to hum along to the movement of his fingers.

_A love song, _Akaashi thought or maybe hoped. _He's playing me a love song._

Oh, Fates, this crush really was going to kill him, wasn't it?"

The song finally came to an end either a second or an eternity later and Bokuto cleared his throat, looking through his lashes at Akaashi. "What do you think?"

"Beautiful," Akaashi said before he could help himself and he sincerely hoped Bokuto would believe he only meant the song.

Bokuto's blush bloomed back on his cheeks. "Thanks, Keiji! I can...um, play more for you if you like?"

Akaashi nodded before a thought struck him. "Doesn't it get hard to play with the gloves?"

He blinked before shrugging. "Not really, lots of practice. Besides keeping the fingers free's the really important part."

Akaashi hummed before adding. "You're good at this."

_Amazing, Lovely, Gorgeous, _but that was probably too telling if Akaashi wanted to survive the afternoon.

"You could do it professionally even," Akaashi said instead.

Bokuto laughed. "Don't tell anyone; but, I thought about it. Back when I was a kid and Dad first started teaching me. I wanted to be a traveling bard-like in the old fairy tales, that fought off dragons and lulled away fairies with the power of song." He scratched the side of his nose. "Really, I guess I just thought it would be a cool way to get to see the continent. Not just Clubs, but the rest of the Card Kingdoms. Fates, Futakuchi and Hyakuzawa, even Nohebi's gotta have a few favorite songs, right?"

"I can't imagine they wouldn't," Akaashi said, smiling as he watched Bokuto fiddle with the lute's pegs.

"Not that I would have ever actually done it!" Bokuto looked up, suddenly in alarm. "I love Clubs way, way too much to ever stay away for that long!"

Akaashi laughed, hiding the sound in the sleeves of his shirt.

"Don't worry," Akaashi teased. "Even as Clubs' future Queen, I suppose I can understand wanting a bit of travel."

Bokuto's alarm faded off into a light smile. He looked back at the lute. "Still probably wouldn't be a great idea. All those stories about famous bards always had them traveling alone. I'd hate that. What's the point in seeing the world if you don't have anyone to show it to?"

It didn't seem like Bokuto was really expecting an answer so Akaashi didn't give him one, too caught up in the way Bokuto's hands steadied for another song as he started to play again.

And in that moment, Akaashi really, really wanted to show Bokuto the world.

ooooooo

"Are you _humming_?!"

Akaashi stopped immediately, fighting the way his cheeks reddened.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he commented lightly, refusing to meet Konoha's eyes.

"You are! Ooh, and you're blushing, too," the future Jack all but crowed, bending down to look at Akaashi in utter fascination. "I don't think I've ever heard you hum before! What's the song?"

"Just an old mining song," Akaashi replied before nearly biting his tongue in realizing his mistake.

"A mining song!" Konoha hopped up on the desk in front of him. "And where'd you hear that, Keiji?"

"A student."

"_The _student? The one who wants to throw you parties!"

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "His name's Bokuto."

"Bokuto," Konoha repeated, sounding out the syllables and just hearing the name made Akaashi's heart beat ridiculously, a song catching again through his head.

Akaashi resolutely looked down to avoid Konoha's stare.

"Fates," the other swore in awe. "You have a crush on him! Don't you, Keiji?!"

Unfortunately, Akaashi's long since learned that certain things are pointless to deny when it comes to Konoha.

"It doesn't matter," Akaashi said instead, "I'm not planning on telling him."

Konoha's smile dropped. "Awww, Keiji, _why_? This is the most interesting thing that's happened all year!"

Akaashi huffed. "He's concentrating on his studies."

"Bleh, that's a terrible excuse," he accused. "Have you _seen _half of the students on campus? By the state of the bars, I'd think the University started teaching labs for applied reproductive biology."

"Bokuto's different," Akaashi insisted firmly. "He's putting everything in his studies, I'm not going to distract him."

"Working _hard, _eh?" Konoha waggled his eyebrows and Akaashi gave him a look. Finally, Konoha sighed. "This is the first crush I've ever seen you have and you're really not going to do anything with it?"

"No."

Konoha sighed again, tossing back his head to look at the ceiling. "Ridiculous, Keiji, absolutely ridiculous!"

ooooooo

Despite Konoha's words, Akaashi felt absolutely sure he made the right decision in ignoring his feelings.

"What do you think about this one, Keiji?"

A lot of the time, Akaashi felt like the only songs Bokuto ever played were love songs. He couldn't be absolutely sure, of course. Most of the songs Akaashi was simply unfamiliar with and without the words really he supposed they could be about anything.

_Yet, _there was something about the melody there, the way that Bokuto looked deeply down at the chords then smiled brightly at Akaashi as the notes faded away, that made Akaashi really want them to be love songs.

It did utterly atrocious things to Akaashi's ability to breathe.

"Beautiful," Akaashi answered as he always did when Bokuto finished playing.

"It was my mom's favorite," Bokuto said, tuning the pegs of the lute as he set up for the next song. "Okay, tell me about this one then. It's an old one."

He played the first few chords and with a jolt, Akaashi realized he knew it. Knew it, well enough that the lyrics started echoing in his head a second before Bokuto started humming.

And it was _definitely _a love song, an old one, something that the palace minstrels played late into the night when most of the party goers were deep in their cups or swaying away to find someplace quieter.

Akaashi _knew _this song.

_Fates, I really shouldn't do this, _was the last thing Akaashi thought before he started singing, softer voice slowly getting louder until it met with the tune of Bokuto's lute.

Akaashi had never been trained as a singer. If asked, he'd probably say he was decent. Definitely not as good as Bokuto's playing.

But, at the warm grin on Bokuto's face as he looked up, Akaashi found that he couldn't quite regret it.

Akaashi felt...a bit less than absolutely sure he made the right decision in ignoring his feelings.

ooooooo

Akaashi might have gone a little bit overboard.

He acknowledged this fact as he poured over his twelfth book of musical compilations for the day, finger running along the lines as he tried to place it to the notes of a lute before pouring over the lyrics to try to commit them to memory.

Look, there was a logic behind this. A reasoning, a very good and perfect polished and overall just...just abundantly Queen-like reason that Akaashi _needed _to memorize every possible lyric of tavern songs that the entire library held.

Akaashi was going to be Queen, right? And a Queen should know all about their people, especially the type of things that made them happy. Like music. There! A perfectly normal reason.

….And if the fact remained that Bokuto still mainly knew tavern songs and the old homey type of tunes generally preferred in mining towns while Akaashi _barely_ knew the ones played at palace festivals, then….well….It was just that Akaashi had noted that Bokuto tended to smile more when Akaashi sung along. And it was the really nice smile, a bit wider than his just-out-of-lessons smile and a bit softer than his going-to-climb-the-cliffs smile.

Absently, Akaashi wondered when he'd started to classify Bokuto's smiles.

Akaashi's hand stalled on the page. Besides, maybe-in the back, unexamined part of his mind-there was a small hope that maybe he'd stumble across a duet that they both knew. And then, maybe, he'd get to hear _Bokuto_ sing and that would be…

"Akaashi?"

Akaashi bolted up, remembering in the last second to school his expression into something more placid.

"Queen Satoshi," he greeted, standing and inclining his head slightly as was fitting for a public setting.

Satoshi nodded, looking somewhat bemused, as he took in Akaashi's choice of reading. "Reviewing your music training, Akaashi? I never knew you were that interested."

"No," Akaashi admitted, struggling momentarily for an appropriately neutral answer. "I simply….found the books fitting."

Satoshi frowned. "For the festival?"

"Yes, Your Highness," Akaashi agreed, seizing on the excuse with a previously unknown relief because honestly, he'd rather say anything than discuss his highly embarrassing crush to the closest thing he had to a father figure.

"Ah," Satoshi's frown switched to an indulgent brand of confusion, "it is...kind of you to look into music for the festival, Akaashi; but, I'm sure the University minstrels have it covered." His eyebrow raised a bit further as he explained the book. "And I'm...rather unsure they would be interested in tavern songs for an event like the Clubs' fall festival."

"I know they sometimes like to experiment," Akaashi added quickly.

Satoshi laughed. "Maybe not _that _experimental."

Akaashi didn't say anything and Satoshi smiled warmly.

"It is a nice idea, Akaashi," his teacher said, moving to the stacks and pausing before selecting a book. "Here, why don't you try this one? They're classical Clubs' compositions from the Ninth Reign. I'm sure if you find a favorite, we can convince the minstrels to add it in for the festival."

"Thank you," Akaashi said, taking the book at stacking it carefully on top of the rest of his pile so Satoshi hopefully wouldn't notice that they were all songs completely unsuited for formal festivals.

"I'm glad to see you're looking forward to the festival, Akaashi," Satoshi commended him. "It's one of the most important days of your life; it's good that you're preparing."

Akaashi smiled back, swallowing down the guilt that he'd barely thought of the coronation in weeks.

ooooooo

The final chill of the winter had finally faded away to the warm new life of spring when Akaashi felt his life shift abruptly once again for the third time that year.

Unlike seeing a man plummet down a cliff or having his heart beat out of rhythm watching Bokuto fail to catch his breath, this change started deceptively casual in a way that Akaashi really hadn't expected to eventually spell calamity.

It started with Bokuto rooting through Akaashi's bag to try to find the apples Akaashi had stored earlier.

"Huh," Bokuto said and Akaashi glanced over, unaware that this was the warning toll to his personal apocalypse. "I didn't know you were a fan of the classics, Keiji?"

In his hands was the music book Satoshi had handed him a week before that Akaashi was abashed to realize he'd barely looked at more than a quick skim that day in the library.

"Enough," Akaashi said absently even though he didn't really have an opinion.

He supposed he liked classics well enough. He'd heard them often at festivals and didn't have any real complaints.

Bokuto made a face, turning down to tune his lute. "Sorry, Keiji, I don't really know any traditional songs."

"That's fine," Akaashi reassured quickly. "It was just a passing interest, really."

Bokuto cocked his head. "Then, what kind of music do you like, Keiji?"

Akaashi paused. Until a month ago, he could honestly say he didn't really have any strong opinions on music taste. And still, he didn't really have any idea of preference except...

"I like the kind of music you play," Akaashi deflected.

His worry melted away as Bokuto immediately brightened.

"Really," Bokuto asked, warm sunlit gold meeting Akaashi's eyes and he felt his breath catch.

"Of course."

Bokuto paused suddenly, looking down at his lute as his lips pursed in contemplation. Finally, he looked back up, leaning in and lowering his voice even though Akaashi was absolutely sure they were the only ones around for half a mile.

"Hey, Keiji," Bokuto's eyes burned into his, "what if...what if I've got kind of an idea and I think you'll really, really like it but it might involve sneaking out of the University tonight?"

There was no need to sneak out of the University. There wasn't a curfew, there weren't guards, students came and went as they pleased anyway. The only way Akaashi could possibly get into trouble is with Satoshi because staying out late was definitely not future Queen behavior.

Still, Akaashi felt his pulse beat a little faster with the thrill of anticipation.

"Where are we going," he asked, voice barely over a whisper.

Bokuto grinned. "It's a surprise, Keiji!"

Oh...this was probably another bad idea.

"Okay," Akaashi agreed.

ooooooo

There was no _need _to sneak out of the University.

That didn't mean Akaashi wasn't enjoying it anyway.

"Shh, _shh_," Bokuto grinned at him, eyes bright and gloved hand tangled up in Akaashi's as he pulled them down the next hall.

Akaashi heard the light footsteps of the University's more night prone masters and he ducked down in his hood, hiding a grin as Bokuto pressed them both into the wall.

"You think they're gone," Bokuto asked, barely a hand breadth away from Akaashi's face.

"Probably should wait another minute," Akaashi whispered back, slightly breathless.

"Good call," Bokuto agreed and they waited together until the footsteps couldn't _possibly _be anywhere close. "Come on!"

Bokuto pulled them along and Akaashi tried hard not to feel disappointed that they were almost out of the University grounds with far less opportunities to duck into small, confined spaces.

….well, there was always sneaking back.

Bokuto's laugh got louder the further they got from the University, cut off smiles erupting into full body laughter as he practically skipped forward in front of Akaashi.

"We're free!" He threw up his arms, spinning on the grassy path leading from the buildings. "We did it!"

"We did." Akaashi rolled his eyes, hoping the dark hid exactly how wide his smile had gotten.

Bokuto threw him a wink. "So, do you think this counts as kidnapping Clubs' Queen?"

"Not Queen yet," Akaashi reminded.

"Princess, then?"

Akaashi swatted at his arm.

Bokuto laughed. "Fine, fine, but kidnapping Clubs' Soon-To-Be Queen doesn't sound as good."

"It was a willing kidnapping anyway so I don't think it counts," Akaashi mused, blushing as Bokuto's smile grew. Akaashi cleared his throat. "Where are you taking me?"

"It's a surprise, Keiji! Didn't I tell you it was a surprise?"

Akaashi bumped his shoulder against his. "Won't you at least tell me _where _said surprise is?"

Bokuto smirked mischievously, not saying a word.

"I take it back. Maybe this _is _a kidnapping, then," Akaashi teased. "You know I'm fairly sure the punishment for kidnapping royalty's still hanging."

Bokuto dropped back to intertwine his hand with Akaashi's even though Akaashi was pretty certain by now which direction they were heading.

Bokuto fake pouted. "Grant me a pardon, please, my Queen?"

_Oh, _Akaashi drew in a quick breath.

_My Queen..._Akaashi found he really liked hearing that from Bokuto...it was..._different _than how anyone else said it.

Akaashi hummed, trying to settle his heart rate. "I might be able to talk them down to a simple beheading."

Bokuto nodded. "Fair enough. I don't use my head much anyway. Probably do you more good."

"Now, that can't be true," he corrected gently.

"Yeah? Well, alright then. Has to be a different punishment." Bokuto considered for a second. "I've got it! How about draw and quartering! It's perfect!"

Akaashi scrunched up his nose. "Perfect how?"

"That way you can always have a piece of me!"

Akaashi couldn't stop it. He threw back his head and laughed, sound echoing along the hills.

"That's disgusting," he said, smiling helplessly.

"Guess you'll just have to keep me then." Bokuto squeezed his hand.

Akaashi huffed out a small breath to keep his heart from beating out of his chest.

"I suppose I'll manage."

Akaashi already an idea; but, seeing the lights of the mining town up ahead was somehow still just as exciting. Perhaps it was more the company.

They stopped right outside the edges of the town, still cloaked mostly in shadow as Bokuto turned to fiddle with Akaashi's hood.

"Have to make sure you're hidden," Bokuto murmured, face inches away from Akaashi, "can't have you seen when we're this close."

Akaashi smiled. "Would it really be so bad? Most everyone outside of University masters wouldn't recognize me anyway."

"Oh, it would be _terrible,_" Bokuto confirmed cheerfully. "Besides, it has nothing to do with you being future Queen. Something far worse would happen if they caught sight of you."

Bokuto's hand moved to the side of Akaashi's hood and Akaashi felt the brushed fabric of his gloves right next to his cheek.

Akaashi hummed, leaning into the glove ever so slightly. "That terrible, huh? And what could that possibly be?"

Bokuto met his eyes, lips turned up in one of his softest smiles.

"They'd be too distracted," Bokuto said and maybe Akaashi was imagining the way his voice had gotten lower. "It would be awful, Keiji, they'd see you and then everyone in the room would be so distracted watching you, they'd forget everything they were doing and we'd miss the reason I brought you here. Complete disaster, Keiji, I promise you. Far better to hide your face."

Akaashi….Akaashi really wanted to kiss him.

"You're exaggerating," Akaashi said instead, voice barely above a whisper.

Bokuto still hadn't moved away. Akaashi didn't want him to.

"I really don't think I am." Bokuto leaned forward just a little bit further."Trust me, Keiji, you're very distracting and in all the best ways, too."

Akaashi felt like he was on fire. Like every possible feeling he'd ever had about Bokuto had suddenly been bottled up and caged under his skin and that a single spark was all it would take to light it into an inferno. Most terrifying, Akaashi was increasingly unsure that wasn't what he wanted.

And then Bokuto leaned back, clearing his throat sheepishly, and Akaashi's next breath hit him like a punch to the gut, feeling entirely unmoored.

Akaashi had a feeling he wasn't controlling this whole crush thing as well as he should've been.

"We should hurry if we don't want to be late." Bokuto grabbed his hand, pulling Akaashi forward into the light of the town.

Akaashi struggled to find his next words. "You still haven't told me where exactly we're going."

"It's a surprise!"

ooooooo

They ended up in one of the local taverns.

Honestly, it wasn't much as far as taverns go-small like the town itself and maybe just slightly nicer than Akaashi would expect from any established town.

The people there clearly knew each other and a few gave slight nods in recognition to Bokuto and far more curious ones at Akaashi, both of which Bokuto returned with a grin before pulling Akaashi to a small table near the back.

All in all, Akaashi felt more than a little bit confused at all the excitement Bokuto was clearly showing for the place. Not that Akaashi exactly felt the need to complain.

"So, why here," Akaashi asked finally after Bokuto had returned to the table, carrying two drinks in his hands.

Bokuto winked, sliding a glass over to Akaashi. "Wait for it! The music's about to start!"

It was only then that Akaashi noticed the slight clearing in the middle of the tavern, right next to the bar and devoid of everything except a single stool and a young man sitting on top of it and tuning a lyre. The young man seemed different than the rest of the bar patrons, finer clothes made for libraries unlike the work clothes of the town even if the way he chatted with the barmaids clearly showed they were familiar.

Akaashi frowned, brow knitting in confusion, even as he turned to see Bokuto all but beaming.

"Wait," he urged Akaashi quietly, "just wait until you hear the music."

So, Akaashi did, turning to watch the makeshift stage as the man looked to be finishing his final bit of tuning.

And then, the first chord hit followed by another, turning and mending together until finally a swift melody emerged, twining around the laughter of the bar like it belonged there.

Akaashi's frown deepened as the song whispered against his ear, tugging at familiarity even though he was _sure _he'd never heard this bar song in his life.

He looked to Bokuto, only to see him already watching Akaashi.

"Keep listening," he instructed.

The almost familiar song kept going, picking up speed and complexity as the young man started singing alongside it.

"Oh," Akaashi said faintly as the first lyrics hit him, mouth opening in wonder. "_Oh!_"

Bokuto laughed, keeping his voice low and quiet not to be heard over the music. "It's great, isn't it?"

"He's playing Clubs' classical compositions," Akaashi realized in fascination, "...or almost at least. How's he doing that with just a lyre?"

"He's from the University," Bokuto said, moving closer to whisper into Akaashi's ear and Akaashi fought down a shiver. "Apparently, he's doing his master's work on bard music and he's trying to find ways to convert the classics in ways to be played on a single instrument so more of the mining towns can hear them."

"That's amazing," Akaashi murmured back, watching as the musician transitioned without missing a beat into a more lively version of one of Clubs' newer compositions.

As the music continued, moving easily between the transformed classics with interspersed familiar tunes that the rest of the bar patrons sung along to, Akaashi found himself leaning further into Bokuto's side.

"I knew you'd like it here," Bokuto said to him in a quiet break and Akaashi could feel the way the words rumbled through his chest.

"I do," Akaashi replied truthfully.

But, he didn't think it was the bar or even the music that made him feel like he never wanted to leave.

ooooooo

It was far too late at night, late enough that the night was soon to be chased away by morning and Akaashi knew that they both had early classes; but….

Bokuto was humming lightly, laying next to him on dew wet grass, and Akaashi thought things like classes could wait.

That everything else could wait just for a few more moments.

"Do you think I could learn to play them on the lute," Bokuto asked into the air.

"Yes," Akaashi said followed by a yawn.

Sounding far more awake, Bokuto huffed out a laugh. "At least, wait and think about it, Keiji. Those chord changes were _hard_."

"You can do it," Akaashi said just as easily, the dark of the night making his tongue too loose. "You can do anything."

Bokuto laughed again, propping up on one arm to look down at Akaashi. "Wow, Keiji, did you sneak a few more drinks at the bar when I wasn't looking?"

"It's the truth." Akaashi smiled sleepily up at him. "_Anything."_

He couldn't quite tell through the dark; but, something about the way the shadows hit Bokuto's face made Akaashi think absently that the other might be blushing.

"I can't do anything, Keiji," Bokuto said softly. "I'd be too scared."

"Then, I'll protect you."

Bokuto didn't say anything and Akaashi yawned again, his hand reaching out without his say so to fiddle at Bokuto's colar until it laid flat and then just staying to rest there because he couldn't quite find a good enough reason to move it.

"It's getting late," Bokuto said finally."We should probably sneak you back in so you can get some sleep before classes."

"Hmm," he replied not quite in agreement; but, he didn't protest either as Bokuto pulled him up, a warm arm around his shoulders to steady him.

Akaashi looked up at him, feeling slightly more awake now that he was back on his feet.

Akaashi thought Bokuto looked beautiful with the moonlight dancing across the pale parts of his hair, contrasting with the gold of his eyes and shining like precious metal. For a moment, under the stars and the moon, it made him look otherworldly-like one of those great heroes from the ballads come to life to woo a Queen.

_It fits him,_ Akaashi thought wryly.

Half the time, Akaashi had trouble believing he was real, too.

"Thank you," Akaashi said in the quiet. "For tonight; I enjoyed it."

A smile lit up Bokuto's face, making it look more real but not any less striking.

"Of course!" Bokuto rubbed the back of his head. "Actually, I was really relieved when you told me what music you liked. Especially when I saw the classic music book, too!"

"Relieved," he asked.

Bokuto nodded, taking Akaashi's hand as they moved back to the University. "Yeah, sometimes I just kind of felt bad, you know? I mean you're _so_ nice to me. You listen to me play and you help me with my classes and you let me talk about climbing and mining and, well, basically _everything _I like to do that I feel bad we don't do enough of the stuff _you _like. That's why I was excited to see the music book!"

Akaashi didn't know why but he found that his heart was beating faster suddenly in a way that he didn't particularly care for. He didn't say that the only reason the music book had been there was that he had forgotten it after Satoshi gave it to him.

It had nothing to do with Akaashi's preferences.

Bokuto squeezed his hand, drawing Akaashi's attention back to a smiling face.

"So, how about it, Keiji," Bokuto continued. "What other things do you like?"

And Akaashi….

Akaashi drew a blank.

ooooooo

"Keiji, what are you doing," Konoha asked, sounding completely and utterly bewildered.

Akaashi ignored him, frowning at ink stained hands and a technically perfect inked painting of a bird, wings outstretched in aborted flight.

It was a fine painting. Akaashi had been working on it for the better part of the morning.

Akaashi didn't enjoy it.

"No, seriously," Konoha came to stand beside him. "_Keiji. _What. Are. You. _Doing_?"

"Painting," Akaashi answered succinctly.

"You hate painting," Konoha said. "Especially ink wash painting. You hate the way it stains your hands."

Akaashi's frown deepened.

That was the thing, Akaashi realized. He _didn't _hate painting. Sure, he found the ink stains annoying in passing; but, he didn't _hate _it.

He just didn't like it either. There was no joy in it.

In fact, it had been days and Akaashi still couldn't name with certainty a single thing that he _did _like. Nor one thing he hated.

Days and he couldn't think of _one single thing _that he had strong opinions on either way. Couldn't think of the last time he'd _had _a strong opinion, much less expressed it.

And it was driving him insane.

"Keiji," Konoha said cautiously, "are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he said sharply, completely on reflex, and the neutrality of the word only served to annoy him further.

Akaashi sighed, closing his eyes and breathing deeply through his nose.

"I don't have anything I like," Akaashi confessed.

Konoha blinked. "What?"

Akaashi didn't bother repeating himself, focusing on his hands and magic as he drew the ink away.

"Wait, is that _it_," Konoha pressed. "Are you….are you _bored_?"

"I'm not bored," he replied. "I just can't think of a single thing that I really, really like to do. Or that I hate, actually." Akaashi shook his head. "Fates, I can't even think of what my favorite food is. What's my favorite song? Favorite book? What kind of person can't even think of a favorite book?" He paused. "I don't know if I've ever had something that's my favorite."

"When did this happen," Konoha asked, coming to sit on the desk in front of him.

Akaashi looked at his hands, clean of the ink once staining them. "Bokuto asked me what I liked and I didn't know what to tell him."

"Ah." Konoha took his time before continuing. "You _have _things you like, Keiji."

Akaashi raised an eyebrow. "Do I?"

"Clubs, magic, Satoshi," Konoha snorted. "Me, unless I've been severely misreading this friendship."

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "That's different."

"How so?"

"You're _people_," he said. "Of course, I like certain people. And my magic is part of me and Clubs is my duty, they don't count. They're not…"

"Not what?"

"_Interests," _he sighed again, feeling listless and dull and, suddenly, very lost. "Akinori, I don't think I have any interests. Any...any hobbies, things I do for fun. I think I'm just…."

Konoha leaned forward, waiting for Akaashi to find his words.

"I'm boring," he finished.

Konoha laughed, loud and sharp before he covered his mouth to try to contain it.

Akaashi glared. "It's not funny."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh; but, I mean….it kind of _is _funny." Konoha shook his head fondly. "Keiji, you're not _boring_. You're the future Queen of Clubs, that's like the least boring thing you could possibly be!"

Akaashi opened his mouth before realizing he didn't know what to say.

Konoha clapped him on the back.

"Believe me, Keiji," Konoha smiled, "you're worrying for nothing."

ooooooo

At night, Akaashi found himself once again laying in his bed and staring up at the ceiling.

_The future Queen of Clubs._

For once, Akaashi found those words terrifying for a completely different reason than failing his people.

Akaashi didn't….he didn't….he thought that maybe he didn't quite like being defined just by his title. He didn't….

Akaashi didn't know what he wanted. He didn't know what he liked. He didn't know what he hated. For the first time in his life, he wondered who he really was. What he was. Because if there was nothing there that defined him except for a title and a Mark on his chest then what could he possibly be? How could he stand with people like Bokuto looking to him to lead if Akaashi himself didn't even know what he was.

He didn't….

Akaashi found his hands shaking and he couldn't exactly say why.

All he knew was that he felt lost, sinking into polite smiles and meaningless words for so long that he wasn't sure what was behind them anymore.

ooooooo

Akaashi was not in a good mood the next day.

He was tired and irritated with a gnawing sense of emptiness in his chest that wouldn't go away.

And then there were the voices like a rock in his shoe and an ill fitting tunic.

"The King, did you hear?"

Akaashi didn't recognize the voices this time. A couple of the older students, probably apprentices but not yet masters. Frankly, at the moment, Akaashi couldn't bother to care.

"Yes!" crowed the other student. "I heard he walked right out of Master Osamu's lesson and didn't come back for hours! I can't believe it. If it was me, Osamu would've skinned me alive."

The first leaned in. "That's not all? Did you hear _why _he left?"

"What?"

"Apparently, he and Osamu got caught in an argument. Chihiro heard it all the way through the door!"

"With _Osamu_?" The second gasped. "That's terrifying! What was it about?"

"Some small thing about mining involvement with the early University founding." The student waved a hand dismissively. "The important thing is that apparently the King _kept _arguing! Even with _Master Osamu!"_

"But the King's always so quiet in lessons." The second paused. "Do you think…"

"Who knows? Our new King certainly is strange, isn't he? In fact-"

That was all Akaashi could stand, striding out into the hallway to level the students with an impressive stare.

Both students froze mid-conversation.

"Don't you two have better things to do than gossip," Akaashi asked, tone even and coolly polite.

"W-We're sorry, Your Highn-or, um," the first student cut off, being pulled off by the second with only a hasty executed bow to mark their exit.

Akaashi watched them go, feeling a headache pounding behind his head as he refrained from gritting his teeth.

There was a stabbing, sharp feeling in the pit of his stomach that Akaashi was surprised to realize was a deep envy.

It seemed the future King had something strong enough to fight for.

What did Akaashi have?

And suddenly, with a heart beating out of tune, Akaashi realized he _needed_ to see Bokuto with an urgency that was verging on panic.

ooooo

"Kotaro."

Bokuto jumped, the lute in his hand letting out a strangled _twang! _as its master turned with large eyes to stare at Akaashi.

"Keiji? You called me Kota-"

"I am a confession to make," Akaashi said in a rush before he could lose courage. "I lied to you."

Bokuto stared at him. "Huh?"

"I lied," Akaashi repeated. "When you asked me what kind of music I liked, when you found the music book in my bag and asked me if I liked classics, I lied. Satoshi gave me the book and I forgot about it. I _don't _like classic music."

"Um, okay?" If anything, Bokuto looked more confused.

"But, I don't dislike it either," he continued, looking at Bokuto with increasing urgency because he needed someone to understand what he was trying to say. "I don't think I _dislike _anything; but, I don't think I _like _anything either. Not meaning people, of course, but-" Akaashi huffed, fingers twisting through his hair. "What I'm trying to say is you asked me what kind of things I liked; but, I don't think I have any! I don't have any favorites. I don't have anything I hate! I don't have interests! I don't have hobbies, I just….Do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

Bokuto blinked. "Keiji….I….wait, didn't you say you liked tavern music like just last week?"

"I said I loved _your _music," he corrected, turning and pacing along the field. "That's different! I love it because it's _yours! _I liked the music in the town because you took me there, because _you're _the one who brought it to me. It didn't come from me originally, it was you. It's always been you because between us you're the one who's interesting. You're the one climbs cliffs and plays the lute and I'm…"

"You're the one that looks at rocks and finds rubies," Akaashi finished, not even completely sure what he himself was trying to say but knowing he needed to say it. "And I lied to you. Kotaro, I'm afraid that I'm….well, I think I'm really boring actually."

Hands landed on Akaashi's face before he could say anything else, nearly causing him to lose his balance before his hands caught on strong arms. He looked up and was cut off by bright gold eyes and a soft smile looking down at him.

Akaashi felt his heart hammering against his ribs.

Bokuto smiled.

Akaashi really loved to see him smile.

"That's silly, Keiji," Bokuto said, voice low and warm like the setting of a sun. "Of course, you're not boring. How could you be?"

Akaashi's breath caught painfully in his chest. "Because I'm the future Queen?"

He didn't….he didn't want….

He didn't just want to be a Queen.

Bokuto laughed. "_No, _because you're _Keiji. _How could Keiji possibly be boring? You _are _the ruby."

Akaashi didn't say anything, couldn't even if he wanted to, caught in one still moment between two gloved hands and a boy with eyes like the sun and with hair that shone in the moon.

Akaashi realized something.

There _was_ something he wanted. Something he had for months.

In a solid golden moment, he couldn't think of a single reason why he shouldn't do it.

He kissed him.

Akaashi Keiji kissed Bokuto Kotaro, hands twining up to his collar to pull him closer, nearer, deeper to see if every part of him was really as warm as Akaashi expected.

He kissed him and it felt like the thrum of music and the light shining off gemstones.

And the best part of all, Bokuto kissed him back.

They were both out of breath by the time they pulled away and Akaashi looked up, feeling gloved hands that had somehow shifted to his hips pulling him closer.

Bokuto's lips turned up in a grin. "See, Keiji! Never boring."


	4. Part 4: June through July

"Hey, Keiji?"

Akaashi was a little bit too busy at the moment to recognize something as unimportant as his own name.

"Keiji?"

"Yes," he finally answered, preoccupied with that fascinating way he could feel the slightest hints of stubble when he ran his lips under Bokuto's jaw.

Not to mention the even more fascinating reactions he'd found he could cause in the month since their first kiss.

Hands tightened on his shirt and Akaashi felt smug about hearing a sudden catch of breath before Bokuto broke off in a bright laugh.

The hands on his back shifted up, coming to cradle his neck gently and pull him up until he found warm gold eyes staring into his.

"You're amazing," Bokuto told him, happily, pecking Akaashi's lips for a short brief moment before pulling back into a smile.

Akaashi tried to follow those lips to deepen it into something more when Bokuto laughed again, sounding not _nearly _breathless enough in Akaashi's opinion.

"Keiji, Keiji, wait just a second. I want to ask you a question!"

Akaashi stopped, restraining a probably childish pout.

"What's the question," Akaashi asked quietly, still sounding somewhat dazed.

"Hmmm, well…," Bokuto's hands moved to settle around Akaashi's waist where he was sitting in Bokuto's lap and Akaashi tried hard not to shiver and move back in to cut Bokuto off from whatever question he wanted to ask, "I was just thinking that the coronation's coming up in like five months, right? That's so soon, Keiji!"

Akaashi stilled just for a second, realizing with a shock that the festival really was only five months away.

He fidgeted slightly, not completely sure why; but, feeling the date suddenly like a falling guillotine blade rather than the long awaited occasion he normally found himself looking forward to.

Bokuto didn't seem to share his uneasiness, smile never fading as he continued. "So, I guess I just wondered….you know with all the other Suits coming here, too….what they were like?" He smiled up at Akaashi. "You've met some of them before, right, Keiji?"

Akaashi let out a breath, heart settling.

"Not really," he answered with a shrug, hand moving up to fiddle with Bokuto's collar. "Satoshi always tried to keep me separate."

Bokuto made a small disappointed noise that Akaashi, with a renewed rush of mischievousness, just bet he could wipe away.

"But, aren't you curious, then?"

Akaashi shrugged again. Honestly, now that the sudden strike of fear at the date had passed, Akaashi would much rather return to what they were doing before.

He tried to hint as much, leaning closer and moving his hand to run through Bokuto's hair, lightly tugging at the ends in a way that he knew always made Bokuto sigh and lean into the touch.

Unfortunately, Bokuto did not seem as easy to sway this time, humming along with Akaashi's touch like a giant cat even as he continued, "You really haven't met any of them before?"

"I met Diamonds' King and Ace once," Akaashi admitted, moving back to bite gently at Bokuto's jaw.

"Yeah?" Bokuto's hands returned to his back , pulling him tighter against a broader chest in a way Akaashi found he really, really liked. "When?"

"It was y-years ago, back in the, um, Hearts' Civil War," Akaashi's voice hitched slightly as Bokuto ran a hand under the back of his shirt. Akaashi stretched into it, swearing to himself that he was _not _going to develop an obsession with the way the woolen fabric of Bokuto's gloves contrasted with steady fingers.

"What was the King like?"

"Hmm?" Akaashi struggled to find his place in the conversation. A blank face and catlike eyes flashed briefly in his mind. "Oh, he was….interesting enough, I suppose. Quiet in a nice way."

Bokuto was leaving light butterfly kisses along the lines of Akaashi's face. "You liked him okay, then?"

"Sure," he said, utterly distracted as his breathing got quicker.

He'd very much like to go back to _not _having a conversation right now.

"What about the Ace of Diamonds?"

Akaashi didn't have to try hard to remember a loud cackle, a smirk, and perpetually untamed hair.

"Less interesting," he answered succinctly. "Far less interesting."

"Aww," Bokuto pouted for all of a second and that was really all Akaashi could take.

"Don't worry," Akaashi's hand gripped at Bokuto's collar, pulling him back and looking at him with hooded eyes, "I know of more interesting things to think about. Much, _much _more interesting."

Bokuto beamed and Akaashi _finally _got to get back to not talking.

ooooooo

Akaashi looked critically at the slab of stone.

The stone was fairly basic in every sense, a common block of soapstone that reminded Akaashi of when Satoshi had first started teaching him magic fifteen years ago.

Akaashi was currently working on something a bit less clear cut than beginning magic.

He released a breath, focusing his magic on as small a segment as possible.

The stone chipped.

Akaashi leaned in eagerly, smiling proudly at the faintest hint of a curve left at the edge of the stone.

"You're not going through an internal crisis again, right," a voice called skeptically.

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "I'm taking up sculpting."

"...okay?" Konoha came to stand beside him. "Keiji, I don't know how to break it to you; but, you _are _the incoming Mage of Earth. Controlling rocks is kind of one of those things that's supposed to be easy for you."

"It's not about controlling it," he responded without looking from the stone. It had taken Akaashi twelve times to find an exact curve that he was happy with.

"Then, what's it about?"

"It's the choice," Akaashi smiled. "It's art."

And, more importantly, Akaashi….Akaashi found he was enjoying it.

Even if he wasn't quite sure he was very good at it.

He glanced up to find Konoha looking at him strangely, like he missed a page when reading.

"Is it Satoshi?" Konoha said eventually, face turning up in a teasing smile. "Satoshi's away at Spade's festival so you've decided it's time to finally crack."

Akaashi snorted inelegantly.

"No, wait, it's something more than that." Konoha stared at him for a long moment, a smile fading into vague annoyance. "Fates, what am I missing here?"

It might be petty; but, Akaashi did find a special kind of joy in the rare moments of stumping the Jack of Clubs.

"You tell me," Akaashi said with a challenge.

Konoha huffed. "Is it the coronation?"

Akaashi hummed in non-commitment.

"Our mysterious King, then?"

Akaashi laughed. "Actually, I haven't heard any new rumors about him in a month."

Konoha frowned. "Come on, give me a hint. I'm your best friend!"

His smile grew wider, trying to think of the sentence that would annoy Konoha the most. "All I can say is you might have been right before."

Konoha let out a truly frustrated noise. "Ugh, you're the _worst!_"

Akaashi turned back to his sculpture, a mischievous smile resting behind his usual aloofness.

Konoha stared at him for a good five more minutes.

"The crush," Konoha shouted. "Fates, it's your crush, isn't it? You finally told him!"

Akaashi just smiled, eyes admittedly going a little bit warmer.

Konoha let out a sudden laugh, expression turning back to smugness.

"I _was_ right, wasn't I," he muttered proudly.

"It's been known to happen once or twice," Akaashi said in as dry a voice as possible.

Konoha hopped up on the work table, kicking his feet and looking like all was once again right with the world. "And to think I figured it out practically instantly. I _am _good, aren't I?"

Akaashi's smile grew mischievous again as he watched as Konoha's smile fell.

"You're kidding!"

Akaashi laughed. "Don't worry, a month late is still pretty good."

"_A month?!"_

ooooooo

Something utterly terrible Akaashi had learned since kissing Bokuto.

It's very hard to stop.

"You have class soon," he mumbled between barely parted lips. "You should find something to eat before it."

He could feel Bokuto's smile against his mouth. "Then you've gotta let me go first."

"You first," Akaashi said before kissing him again, getting lost in heat and dizziness instead of distracting things like conversation.

"Meh, I can grab something later."

Akaashi felt like he really should argue more; but, didn't really want to when Bokuto pushed him more firmly against the wall of bushes that separated the small piece of the University.

Akaashi had been tragically and woefully misguided a month ago when he thought kissing Bokuto would be the end of trauma for his poor, fragile peace of mind. If anything, he found himself more distracted now, sneaking away from the books that he used to busy himself with and coming back with a look he'd caught University students gossiping about more than once.

_Horrible, _Akaashi thought, humming with interest as Bokuto pulled more roughly on his bottom lip. _Absolutely horrible._

Akaashi licked into the seams of Bokuto's lips and was rewarded with hands clenching hard at his waist before suddenly the bush felt a lot less firm at his back.

"Fates!" he cursed before the bush fully gave way and he found himself falling branches scratching at his side as he went through the bush and hit hard on the other side. Bokuto landed on top of him, barely catching himself in time not to let his chin slam into Akaashi's sternum.

"Ow," Akaashi said flatly.

Bokuto looked up, worriedly. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," his lips turned up in a helpless smile, "just maybe we should chose a tree next time we-"

He was cut off by a sudden laugh that, Akaashi realized with a drop in his stomach, he recognized far, far too well.

A hand popped up above them, light reddish brown hair hanging around a lazy smile.

"Hey, Keiji," Yukie said, leisurely expression lit up with a surprising amount of mirth, "nice of you to drop in on knight practice."

Akaashi restrained a groan because he was a poised and graceful future Queen.

He sighed instead, taking the hand that Yukie offered and resigning himself to the future teasing. "What are you doing here?"

"Why wouldn't I be here," Yukie returned easily, casting curious looks over at Bokuto. "Grandma Fumiko's gotta be here to train the future Ace, as if she wouldn't take her favorite granddaughter."

"You're her only granddaughter," Akaashi said dryly.

Yukie grinned. "I didn't say it was stiff competition." Her eyes landed back on Bokuto. "Rude, Keiji, you're not even going to introduce me to your very special friend over here. Not very Queenly of you."

Bokuto stuck out a hand, smiling cheerfully. "Bokuto Kotaro."

"See, polite," Yukie teased before meeting the hand with her own. "Nice to meet you and _so _nice to see you getting along with our little Keiji here! I can't wait to tell Grandma! I'm Shirofuku Yukie, by the way."

Bokuto's eyes widened and, with the grace of long habit, Akaashi took it upon himself to make the introductions.

"Yes," he said, eyes not leaving Yukie. "She's Ace Fumiko and former King Susumu's granddaughter."

Yukie's smile widened, deceptively lazy expression focused clearly on Akaashi. "Yep, which means I had the distinct pleasure of growing up with Keiji here. Plight of the palace kids, you know, not many other little ones for play dates."

"For some reason, Satoshi was worried I'd be shy," Akaashi said.

"Because you were so quiet!"

"I was _reading_."

"Oh, Keiji, as if they makes it any better." Yukie tsked before she leaned over conspiratorially to Bokuto. "Alright, now here is where I'd offer to tell you all the embarrassing stories from Keiji's gangly teenage years; but, it's one of life's true tragedies that he's the only person alive who went through puberty unscathed."

Akaashi took a moment to feel relieved.

"So, I'll have to tell you the embarrassing little kids stories instead," Yukie finished brightly.

Bokuto grinned and Akaashi regretted every single life choice he'd ever made.

"Yukie," called a voice like a saving grace, "why aren't you practicing?"

Across the field came the willowy form of Shirofuku Fumiko, Ace of Clubs, with her pale white hair pulled up in a tight bun, harshness wiped away by the clear smile lines around her face.

Akaashi watched her approach with gratitude.

"Because I found something more interesting, Grandma," Yukie called back, waving idly. "Keiji's being courted."

Akaashi gave her a cross between a glare and a blush before he glanced over and noticed the sudden tension in Bokuto's shoulders.

"Don't worry," Akaashi whispered to him, "Ace Fumiko's really not that scary."

"I know," Bokuto said, "we've, um, met already."

Akaashi frowned, not getting a chance to ask before Fumiko came to stand in front of them, eyes widening as she looked at Bokuto then back at Akaashi then to Bokuto then, strangely, to Bokuto's gloves before back at Akaashi.

"Er, if it helps, we kind of met on accident," Bokuto said weakly.

"What-," Akaashi started in confusion before-

Fumiko let out a booming laugh, loud enough to startle the birds out of the trees as she almost bent in half trying to hold it in.

Akaashi exchanged a look with Yukie, who at the very least looked as confused as him.

"Grandma," she started.

"Oh," Fumiko said, still laughing even as she wiped her eyes, "I just _knew _you were going to be an interesting one; but, I didn't think you'd start this early!"

"Sorry," Bokuto tried which seemed to make Fumiko only laugh harder.

"Oh, no, this is the funniest thing that's happened in _years, _trust me," Fumiko shook her head before her eyes landed on Akaashi and she waggled her eyebrows. "Well, I suppose it's good to see you're getting along well. _Very _well,it seems."

Akaashi's blush came back full force, only to be mixed this time with utter bewilderment.

"Apologies, my Ace-"

"_Fumiko,_" she cut him off, "I swear, Keiji, it's been years. How many times do I need to tell you to just call me 'Fumiko'."

"Fumiko," Akaashi corrected, "but….I'm just curious what you were laughing at?"

"Hmm," Fumiko tapped a finger on her chin. "Well, I suppose it would be less funny to both of you. Nevermind me, then, I was just imagining the look on Satoshi's face. Serves him right, he's far too stuffy, isn't he, Keiji? I've been telling him that for years and he never believes me!"

Akaashi truly and utterly had no idea how to respond.

Fumiko's eyes drew back to Bokuto and she waved a hand. "Don't worry, though, I definitely won't be the one telling Satoshi about you two sneaking around. This will be so much better as a surprise."

Beside Akaashi, he saw Bokuto relax and he still had no idea why.

As for Yukie, she was frowning-eyes drawn closely at Bokuto as if she was looking for something.

"Wait," Yukie said slowly, looking up at Fumiko, "is he-"

"Off with both of you now, though," Fumiko interrupted, shooing Akaashi and Bokuto back away from the University training field. "You're interrupting my dear granddaughter from her practice. Go on now, I'm _sure _we can have a lot more fun with this later."

Akaashi went, Bokuto ushered right behind him, as they were both led out of the field and back to the hallways of the University, all before Akaashi could even ask a question.

When Fumiko finally left them, Akaashi looked back at Bokuto.

"That was…..strange, wasn't it," Akaashi asked, suddenly unsure of his own perceptions.

Bokuto let out a strained laugh. "Yeah. Super strange, Keiji. Good thing Fumiko's so cool, right?"

Akaashi frowned but nodded, still having no idea of what just happened.

Strange, indeed.

ooooooo

"How was the festival," Akaashi asked, watching as his guardian waved his hand, the packed clothing all arranging neatly back in his dresser.

"Fine as always," Satoshi said. "Spades is lovely in the summer. It's a shame Fumiko decided to stay behind, she would've loved the Ace's Match-Diamonds and Hearts gave it a tough go, almost an hour long match."

"Who won?"

"Diamonds." Satoshi paused. "Speaking of, I should probably mention that this University branch might have a few guests over the next months. Some of the other Suit members have declared their interest in visiting."

Akaashi tilted his head. "Why?"

"Officially? Because the Ace of Diamonds decided now was his best time to review the kingdom's security, the Jack of Spades has selected this particular University branch for his annual study, and the Queen of Spades wished to see the lovely Clubs' cliffs." He smiled wryly. "Unofficially, because they're all a bunch of gossips that never could stand to wait until our official fall festival before meeting the incoming Suit." Satoshi shook his head. "At least, Hearts' suit is still new enough that they haven't learned impatience yet."

"The Queen of Spades is coming," Akaashi asked, trying hard to keep his voice neutral so the excitement didn't bleed in.

Satoshi sent him a look that said he saw through it anyway. "Yes, I've already asked if he wouldn't mind observing one of our lessons….if that's alright with you, of course?"

Akaashi smiled back, ducking his head in gratitude. "Yes, I believe I would enjoy that."

"I'm glad you're excited, Akaashi." Satoshi's hand landed on his shoulder. "But, remember above everything, you _are _Clubs' next Queen." His teacher patted his shoulder in either reassurance or reminder. "You know the expectations."

ooooooo

"Is it a puppy?"

Akaashi laughed, pulling Bokuto along. "Where would I get a dog?"

"I don't know," he shrugged, "whenever someone says they have a surprise, I always think of puppies."

"It's not a puppy."

"Kitten?"

Akaashi grinned helplessly. "No."

"Good, I'm more of a dog person."

"Really?" Akaashi hummed. "I think I prefer cats."

Bokuto considered for all of a second. "We'll compromise and get an owl."

Akaashi bumped his shoulder against Bokuto's, leaning in until he could thread his arm against his. "In what way, is an owl a compromise between a cat and a dog?"

"Owls are my favorite," Bokuto said reasonably. "So, they're the perfect compromise."

Akaashi hid his smile in Bokuto's shoulder. "I like owls, too."

"Then, that settles it. We _need _that owl."

"The surprise still isn't an animal," Akaashi said.

"Then, what is it?"

"Wait," Akaashi ordered and took a special joy in watching Bokuto puff out his cheeks in an exaggerated pout.

They continued walking, Akaashi leading them, and it was another few moments before Bokuto spoke again. "Hey, you know Yukie's pretty awesome actually."

"You've been talking to her," Akaashi asked, surprised but only mildly. Yukie's always been the friendly sort, especially compared to Akaashi.

"Yeah, she came and found me." Bokuto brightened. "She said she'd teach me how to use a sword if I wanted!"

"Be careful," Akaashi said before considering for another second. "Yukie's a good person. I'm not surprised you like her."

"Yeah, she is." Bokuto winked. "I still like Keiji better though."

Akaashi grinned, laughing again. "I like Kotaro better, too."

Finally, Akaashi led them to a stop on an open field.

"We're here," he announced.

Bokuto paused, obviously expecting more. "Oh, wow, Keiji, it's awesome. It's perfect. It's-"

"An ordinary field," Akaashi finished, amused.

"Um, yeah." Bokuto looked up through his lashes. "Sorry, am I missing something?"

Akaashi leaned up, leaving a short, sweet kiss on Bokuto's lips. "You're not missing anything. Watch this."

And then, Akaashi pulled up his magic, focusing on the field below them and the opening he knew was beneath. He let out a breath and the rock shifted, the field falling away like a sinkhole until all that was left was stone stairs that Akaashi pulled from the earth.

He heard Bokuto gasp and Akaashi opened his eyes, smiling softly.

"It's a cave," Bokuto said, looking wide eyed at Akaashi. "You found a cave!"

Akaashi nodded. "I felt it beneath the field. From the feel of it, I think a rockslide covered it years ago. Who knows the last people who've seen it." He held out a hand to Bokuto. "Want to be the first?"

Bokuto grabbed his hand. "You're amazing, Keiji!"

Akaashi went down the stairs first, pulling Bokuto along with him. Around them, the walls were cool and damp, the small light that Akaashi had conjured reflecting off of running water and the slight glint of embedded rocks.

It wasn't a large cave, barely three stories high and maybe about as wide, but, looking down Akaashi could see where a small lake had formed at the bottom of the cave, a calm pool compared to the rushing water of the sea outside.

It was beautiful, a small little mystery tucked away into cliffs and unseen for years.

Bokuto looked around, entranced, staring at the walls with a bright sort of happiness like a kid the first time seeing the sea.

Finally, his eyes landed back on Akaashi. "Keiji…."

Akaashi had to swallow, then, unsure of what to do with the way Bokuto looked when he was staring at him, with the low almost wonderous way he said his name. For a second, Akaashi empathized greatly with the rocks holding back the ocean, worn away slowly until only the drizzles of a stream squeezed through.

"Do you like it," Akaashi asked softly.

Bokuto caught his face in his hands. "You knew I would."

"I hoped," Akaashi agreed. "Wait, there's something…."

Akaashi moved down, scooping one of the larger stones up from the ground and holding it up.

He focused again, willing the lines and the curves and pushing until the rest of the stone fell away.

He held up a simple stone flower, nothing special, far too simplistic in the details almost like a child's drawing.

But, that wasn't the point. The point was….

"I decided to take up stone carving," Akaashi said.

Bokuto stared at him and Akaashi blushed, trying to find the right words to make Bokuto understand what he meant, how much this meant, how-

"I like it," Akaashi said. "I'm not very good; but, I think I like it so….um, anyway, I wanted to show you. I wanted you to have it so…."

Bokuto took the flower, folding gloved hands around it like it was more precious than any gem and Akaashi's heart hammered hard in his chest.

"It's beautiful, Keiji." Bokuto smiled up at him. "I love it."

And Akaashi….

And, right then, Akaashi didn't care about upcoming festivals or Suits or crowns or Marks or fate or magic.

Akaashi realized, standing in the middle of a cave that no one had seen in centuries, lit by a glowing ball of magic and surrounded by flickering gems, that the man standing in the middle and holding a fairly ugly flower sculpture was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever seen.

So, Akaashi kissed him because he still couldn't find the words to say everything he felt.

It didn't matter. He had a feeling Bokuto understood anyway.

ooooooo

The Ace of Diamonds was the first one to visit.

Akaashi would like it on record that this meeting should be considered a _mistake._

The reasoning behind this momentous tragedy to Akaashi's sanity could be summed up into a single sentence: Bokuto saw him first.

Looking back, Akaashi thought that if by some chance they had met the Ace together or even if it was only Akaashi-since, really why would the Ace of Diamonds have any reason to meet a University student-that Akaashi could have headed it off from the start and saved the kingdom an inordinate amount of catastrophe all caused by a single friendship.

As, it was….

"Hey, Keiji!"

Akaashi stared.

"What do you think," Bokuto asked cheerfully.

Akaashi stared some more.

In front of him, there was something rigged up that looked like a cross between the most dangerous swing set in the world and a slingshot, all seeming like it was set up to fling a person straight off the face of a cliff.

Akaashi's mouth opened, closed, opened again, and finally ended with "...what….?"

"Isn't it great?!"

There was the sound of a high five and like a person moving their head only to see an upcoming carriage crash, Akaashi turned to see the Ace of Diamonds smirking back at Bokuto, eyes lit up with something only to be classified as mayhem.

"Hey, Akaashi." Kuroo's smirk grew. "Aww, you're less scrawny now! I can't wait to tell Kenma."

Akaashi blinked, pretty sure he would've built up the energy to glare if not for the death trap still standing innocently in front of him.

"What is this," Akaashi managed weakly.

"We call it the swing-shot," Bokuto explained, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "See, I was talking to Kuroo and I was telling up about my old mining town and then, I mentioned cliff diving and then, he said-"

"Cliff diving?!" Akaashi interrupted.

"It's awesome," Bokuto assured as if that was really Akaashi's worry. "But, unfortunately, _these _cliffs don't have a far enough ledge to jump from anywhere which sucks so Kuroo and I had this idea and-" Bokuto gestured to the death trap like a show man. "Ta-da!"

Akaashi didn't understand. He was just told the Ace of Diamonds arrived a few hours ago and had gone to explore the cliffs. How did he even have time to _meet _Bokuto let alone come up with this.

"No, absolutely not," Akaashi said as soon as the plan processed.

Bokuto pouted. "Aw, why?"

"Because you'll _die_."

"Actually, if you take into account the physics of it," Kuroo jumped in, looking entirely too amused as he watched Akaashi and Bokuto, "the apex of the swing should carry us out just far enough away from the rocks that it should be safe." He paused. "Well, at least, definitely not deadly."

Akaashi wasn't sure _why _the Ace of Diamonds-legitimately, the man in charge of all of Cards overall defense strategy-had come to Clubs to apparently get killed in an overgrown slingshot.

Akaashi tried to pull back to reserved, the perfect image of a polite but reasonable Queen that he should be when talking to other Suit members.

"Ace of Diamonds," he started, tone just to the side of aloof, "surely, you're not really suggesting we….we use this to fling ourselves off a cliff."

"Never said you have to do it." Kuroo crossed his arm, smirk turning up to teasing.

Akaashi raised an eyebrow in a quiet sort of judgement.

"Please, Keiji," Bokuto grabbed onto his arm, looking up at him with bright, golden eyes and Akaashi felt his polished facade popping like a soap bubble.

He sighed, looking back at Bokuto. "It's not safe."

"It is, though," Bokuto insisted. "We did the math and everything. We even tested it on one of the practice dummies."

"What if something goes wrong," Akaashi pressed. "It's not worth the risk."

_Nothing was worth the risk of Bokuto getting hurt._

Akaashi paused.

…_.and he supposed Kuroo, too. Probably. It would at least look bad for Clubs._

Bokuto hummed though before grinning. "No, I _know _it'll be fine."

"How?"

"Because you'll be here," Bokuto winked up at him. "There, we promise to only use it when you're around. That way if anything goes wrong, you can just use your magic! You know like when we met and you saved me!"

Akaashi's resolve crumbled like parchment wet in the rain.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Kuroo watching them with a calculating glint in his eye that Akaashi didn't know where to begin deciphering.

Bokuto smiled. "That'll work, though. Won't it, Keiji?"

"...probably," Akaashi admitted reluctantly.

Bokuto whooped and jumped away before Akaashi could voice his next set of arguments. He looked over just in time to see Kuroo smiling. Actually smiling, the perpetual smirk finally wiped away to something less practiced as Bokuto all but jumped on him. And Akaashi….Akaashi thought he understood.

Bokuto did have a way of breaking down walls, apparently Akaashi wasn't the only Suit member without immunity.

And that was how Akaashi came to spending his first formal meeting with an outside Suit member watching Bokuto and Kuroo come up with increasingly insane ideas to shoot themselves into the air, Akaashi standing beside them as a quiet voice of reason.

It was….not was Akaashi expected; but, he thought he might be getting used to that.

ooooooo

"Did you hear?"

Akaashi was really starting to hate gossip.

"About the King?"

Akaashi buried his face in his book and held back a groan.

The two students carried on talking, unaware of the slowly building headache behind Akaashi's eyes.

"He met the Ace of Diamonds," the first student said.

_Good, _Akaashi looked back at his book. At least, Kuroo managed to get in _some_ actual diplomatic meetings rather than just talking Bokuto into increasing outrageous schemes the entire three days he was here. Akaashi was fairly sure the past few days had driven him closer to an early heart attack.

The second sighed wistfully. "Honestly, I can't believe the Ace of Diamonds was _here_! He's so handsome, don't you think?"

Akaashi thought there was no accounting for taste.

"I know!" The first's voice lowered. "And, apparently, our new King and the Ace of Diamonds were getting along well. If they're friends, do you think that means the Ace will come visit more?"

Akaashi supposed Kuroo getting along with the future King was for the best, honestly. Even after a week, Akaashi still had trouble with one on one conversation with the Ace not devolving into cleverly worded and admittedly enjoyable debates. It was good the King seemed to get along with him more easily; Akaashi wouldn't always have Bokuto there as a buffer.

"Fates, I hope so." There was a pause and Akaashi heard the second student shuffle slightly. "Our king, he's….interesting, don't you think?"

Akaashi's hands tensed on his book in anticipation of stepping in.

"He's been talking more in class," the first agreed. "I heard he even made Master Hekima laugh the other day."

There was another pause, long enough that Akaashi couldn't resist moving a little further so he could peak around the corner.

Finally, the second student smiled. "I think….I think I kind of like our new King. He's more entertaining than I expected."

The first laughed, leaning in closer to her friend. "Hmm, I think he's growing on me, too."

They walked away after that, conversation drifting off until Akaashi could no longer hear it.

Akaashi stood in the hallway, a book in his hand and a small smile playing along his face.

For some reason, he felt oddly satisfied.

ooooooo

"I take it you met the Ace of Diamonds while he was here," Satoshi stated over breakfast.

Akaashi nodded. "I believe his visit went well."

Everyone survived so Akaashi supposed that was well enough.

Satoshi hummed. "He's smart, isn't he?"

"Yes."

'Cunning' would be more the word Akaashi would use, something in the way his eyes went shaded and calculated that made it unsurprising he earned the nickname as Chessmaster even without his extra power as Ace.

Which somehow made it even more ridiculous that Akaashi had walked in on him and Bokuto betting over who could fit the most olives in their mouth.

"A bit wild, of course," Satoshi added in an almost echo of Akaashi's thoughts. "Diamond's King is intelligent, too. If far more calm in how he shows it."

Akaashi thought again of years ago to a boy with an expressionless face, quietly reading a book. He found he wasn't surprised by Satoshi's assessment.

"You sound like you approve of him," Akaashi remarked idly.

"I do." Satoshi paused. "Of course, it is not for us to approve or disapprove either way. The Suits are a matter of the Fates….no matter how _unusual _those choices turn out to be."

Akaashi looked up, trying to find the meaning behind his guardian's words.

Satoshi sighed. "It's nothing, Akaashi, merely some unexpected difficulty in training our future King. Forgive me. I should not have said anything, I was being improper."

"What kind of difficulty," Akaashi pressed regardless, trying not to back down even as Satoshi's eyes sharpened in faint reproach.

"Simply a few misunderstandings about the place of tradition and the alleged need for change," Satoshi said shortly. "Do not worry, Akaashi, I'm sure he will learn. Now, I remind you again that we should not be discussing this. It is improper."

Akaashi frowned, heart beating faster even if he couldn't quite understand why. "If our King believes our traditions should change, maybe we should-"

"_He's not King yet," _Satoshi interrupted in as close to a snap as Akaashi had ever seen him make.

Akaashi froze, looking at his guardian with wide eyes.

Satoshi stopped as well, looking down at the table to hide whatever expression crossed his face. He took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, Akaashi. It appears I am more….tired than I originally believed. I did not mean to raise my voice."

"Would you like some more tea," Akaashi asked, trying not to sound too worried. His guardian was not as young as he once was.

Satoshi looked up, eyes warming in fondness.

"Thank you, Akaashi. But, I believe I can manage it." He sighed, pouring himself another cup. "Before the coronation, our King is still recognized as Susumu. I will….I will not step on my friend's remembrance by giving up his orders before the time has come." Satoshi took a sip, looking thoughtful. "Besides, Akaashi, history and traditions are what define us. They're the path that led us here. To disregard them without reason is to be a ship without compass."

Satoshi met Akaashi's eyes. "I'm proud of you, Akaashi. I most likely do not tell you enough; but, I am. Of everyone I know, it's you I trust most to honor the legacy we've left for you. You've worked….so hard ever since you came to me, done everything I could ever think of and then so much more than I could hope. I could not ask for a better successor. Thank you, Akaashi."

Akaashi swallowed, looking down at his tea and fighting against a wave of guilt that was rising in his throat.

He didn't know the last time he's thought of the coronation. He'd been busy, selfish even, far too preoccupied with simply being with Bokuto that he forgot his responsibilities. That cannot do, not for the people of Clubs, not for Bokuto, and definitely not for Satoshi who's given him so much.

Akaashi looked up and forced a smile.

He would be the best Queen he could possibly be.

For all the ones counting on him.

ooooooo

It wasn't that Akaashi was avoiding Bokuto. He was fairly positive he couldn't even if he wanted to.

However, for the next week, Akaashi threw himself head and body back into every book he could find, turning through page after page with the kind of zealousness that tried to make up for earlier months of distraction.

The festival was only barely over two months away. Akaashi had to be perfect; he wouldn't allow himself to be anything less.

All of which meant that Akaashi found himself with far less free time than he had before. A fact that, unfortunately, meant also seeing less of Bokuto. Akaashi hated that , even if Bokuto seemed to be understanding, smiling it off and tugging at Akaashi's hair and assuring Akaashi that he could entertain himself and that Akaashi should have fun studying.

Konoha said he was overdoing it. Akaashi still felt like he wasn't doing enough.

He couldn't fully explain it, even to himself, he just felt….he _needed _to do this. He always had in a certain way; but, now it was if with a few words and a handful of months there was a timer under him and a pressure that before Akaashi had only acknowledged in small doses.

He needed to be everything, exactly the type of Queen that Clubs could be proud of. The kind that Satoshi and Bokuto could be proud of.

But, it was strange.

He had Bokuto now, he had music, and dozens of badly shaped stone flowers and….

For the first time, Akaashi felt like he was himself and knew what that meant. That he was better than he had ever been before and he wouldn't give that up for anything.

So, why did he still feel like he was missing something?

In the end, it turned out he was. Just not in the direction he expected.

Akaashi looked up from his book to find that what he expected to be early afternoon had long ago bled into night and his stomach twinged in neglect.

He'd missed dinner.

And that….that was odd. Not because he'd forgotten about it because, honestly, Akaashi had always had a habit of forgetting meals when he got too focused. But, lately, there had been a certain sunny presence to drag him out of it. There wasn't today.

He hadn't seen Bokuto.

Akaashi's heart tripped over itself before he could help it, worry sinking its claws in before he even knew the cause and he found himself wandering out of the library and down the halls, eyes darting around for silver streaked hair.

He was probably worrying for nothing. Bokuto had even told him his anxiety had been better lately and Akaashi remembered smiling up at him and dragging him down for a kiss. But….

Akaashi thought there would always be a memory burned in the back of his brain with Bokuto struggling to breathe and curled up so much smaller than he should be and Akaashi….Akaashi felt like the only thing that could possibly be worse than that was Bokuto going through that alone.

His pulse was beating in his ears as Akaashi turned down hall after hall, heading aimlessly and checking for anything out of place before-

"Keiji!" A gloved hand caught his shoulder and Akaashi twisted around.

Gold eyes looked down at him, smiling easily and Akaashi felt something clenched under his ribs suddenly relax.

"Hey," Bokuto beamed. "You're out of the library! Done studying for the night?"

Akaashi puffed out a breath, leaning forward until his head rested on Bokuto's shoulders. "I was looking for you."

"Aww, I'm late, aren't I? " Bokuto pouted. "Darn I was going to make you soup, too! Mom's recipe! It's the best. You'll love it. Tomorrow?"

"That sounds great," Akaashi agreed, kissing Bokuto's cheek. "Where were you?"

"Oh."

Akaashi felt the way that Bokuto's shoulders tensed under him and Akaashi looked up, already frowning.

Bokuto waved the concern away. "It's nothing. I just got a little held up at the infirmary."

"The infirmary?" Akaashi's brows knitted together, scanning Bokuto for injury and coming up blank until he noticed the way Bokuto kept one of his hands behind his back

Bokuto gave a sheepish smile, holding out a heavily bandaged wrist for Akaashi to inspect.

"It's nothing," Bokuto repeated. "Just caught my hand wrong climbing the cliffs and broke a few of the smaller bones. I'll be more careful next time."

Akaashi's still frowning, taking the bandaged wrist gently in his hands.

Bokuto winced and Akaashi's eyes zeroed in on it.

"They didn't heal it," Akaashi said in surprise. "They should've, I know they have a few minor mages on staff."

"Um, yeah, I think….," Bokuto looked down, "I think they would kind of rather it took the time to heal naturally. Can't exactly climb cliffs until it does and I think they'd rather….I mean cliff climbing isn't really proper behavior apparently. They told me that."

Akaashi's frown darkened and he took great care not to squeeze the wrist in his hands.

"They're idiots then," Akaashi said immediately, already focusing on the wrist. "Who are _they _to tell you what's proper?"

Bokuto may be a University student, he may technically still be under the University's authority, but Akaashi would not stand to see Bokuto hurting for something as stupid as teaching a lesson that stuck up University healers had no right to say needed to be taught.

"You love climbing the cliffs," Akaashi said, barely keeping the anger out of his voice.

Bokuto paused. "Yeah, but if it's really bothering them, I don't-"

"They can get over it," Akaashi looked up. "I can heal this for you if you'd like. I'm good at healing."

"Um, okay." Bokuto blinked. "What will I tell the University healers, though?"

Akaashi huffed, focusing his magic on the smaller bones until the cracks healed as if they were never there. He heard Bokuto take a quick breath that sounded like relief and Akaashi only felt more annoyed at the healers.

"You should tell them they should do their jobs better," Akaashi muttered. "Or better yet, _I'll _tell them."

Surprisingly, Bokuto laughed and Akaashi jerked his head up to look at him.

Bokuto brought his newly healed hand up to cup Akaashi's cheek, the bandages a starkly different texture from the usual glove.

"You're cute when you're angry," Bokuto said, laughing again when Akaashi gave him a look. "It's not that big of a deal, Keiji, I think they might have been trying to keep me safe in their own way. Keeping me away from the cliffs."

Akaashi leaned his face into the hand. "There's no excuse to leave you hurting."

"It really wasn't that bad," Bokuto reassured, still smiling. Akaashi kept frowning and Bokuto's expression bled off into something serious. "Hey, Keiji, I know you're still mad; but, let me handle it this time, okay?"

"What are you going to do," Akaashi asked cautiously.

"Nothing." Bokuto leaned forward, until his forehead was resting against Akaashi. "If wearing a bandage around my wrist for a bit is what it takes to make them relax some, I think I'm going to keep it."

Akaashi sighed. "They don't deserve that, Kotaro. Who are they to tell you what you can't do?"

Akaashi felt Bokuto's smile resting against his lips right before Bokuto leaned forward to kiss him.

"Ah, Keiji, it's only a couple months."

And Akaashi….Akaashi froze.

A couple months.

All this time, Akaashi had been thinking about the approaching coronation like a swinging pendulum; but, somehow, he forgot what the deadline would be.

In a few months, Akaashi was leaving the University for the capital to become Queen.

And Bokuto….Bokuto would be staying here.


	5. Part 5: August through September

Akaashi felt lost.

It wasn't that he didn't realize how time worked. A year-now only three months. Had it really been nine months already?

It wasn't that he didn't know. How many times had he told himself? Bokuto was a University student. He'd worked at it for so hard, so long. Akaashi would never do anything to take that away.

So, no, it wasn't that he didn't know the time or the consequences of said time; it was that he had never quite realized how sharp it felt against his lungs, like every breath should be measured, every heartbeat counted and stored away to save as a treasure for coming days when….

When he'd be a Queen instead of a future Queen and Bokuto would still be a University student.

It was so hard to remember to savor the moments when Akaashi could already feel them slipping away.

And maybe….maybe the part that made it the worst was the same part that Akaashi found himself inexplicably grateful for.

Bokuto never mentioned it. By the looks of it, it didn't even occur to the man how quickly their time was fading away. He did not mention the months left, only mentioned the coronation in a way that seemed exciting rather than Akaashi's odd mix of waiting-anticipatory-excited-terrified-eager-dreading. Even Akaashi's sidestepping comments about how little time they had left was only met by what seemed to be Bokuto's mild confusion.

Bokuto wasn't thinking about it. And Akaashi was so truly grateful. Because if Bokuto wasn't speaking of it, Akaashi could almost let himself forget, slip into the warmth of a smile and the feeling that time ran slow like dripping honey instead of coarse like grains of sand. Of course, Bokuto wouldn't speak of it. It was not who he was to fret over things that were unchangeable. No, Bokuto had always been a mix of excited plans, hopes, and fears. He was always one to move ahead.

But….at the same time, Akaashi did not know how to handle that and that very inadequacy only made his own worry worse.

It made him feel inexplicably that, even though Akaashi was the one who'd be leaving, Bokuto was already leaving him behind. And, worst of all, it seemed like Bokuto hadn't even noticed. Like it was an expectation and the only thing separating it from reality was time.

And nothing about that fit with the Bokuto that Akaashi knew. The difference unmoored Akaashi and made him feel, well….

More lost than ever.

A book flew past his head.

"Quit pinning!" Konoha looked like he was about to tear out his own hair. "Fates, you're literally dating the man! How can you _possibly_ still be pinning?!"

Akaashi didn't answer because he truthfully didn't want to talk about it. At least not to Konoha.

Instead, he saved the tome turned projectile from his bed. "Shouldn't a Jack have more care for books?"

"Probably." Konoha shrugged before his gaze practically flew back to the window, hand coming up to chew on his nails. "Oh Fates! _Fates, _do you think he's here yet?!"

Akaashi sighed deeply.

"Hey, none of that!" Konoha pointed at him without looking away. "I've listened to your pining, angst, and existential crises for _months_! The least you could do is help me in my hours of need!"

Akaashi conceded that Konoha might possibly have a point and stood to wedge in beside his friend, looking out at the courtyard below and waiting to glimpse the University's newest visitor.

"I heard he could kill a man with one look," Konoha whispered in terror.

Akaashi couldn't help roll his eyes. "We _both _know that's not true."

"Maybe," he allowed, "but, I _did _hear he visited Hearts for a day-a _day!_-and he managed to tear apart a smuggling ring they'd been trying to track down for months!" Konoha considered for another second. "Plus, with how close he's supposed to work with the Ace of Spades, I'm really not sure the kill-with-a-single-look thing is that much of an exaggeration."

"The Jack of Spades is not going to kill you," Akaashi said dryly.

"Of course not! He'd send their Ace, the _assassin_!"

"Akinori."

"Okay, _fine,_ he won't kill me!" Konoha pushed off from the window, flopping back dramatically on Akaashi's bed. "But, I still say I am completely in the right to be utterly panicked here! Call it a matter of professional pride!"

Akaashi eyed him, a small smile working across his face. "You can't be telling me you're feeling competitive?"

"Competitive? Competitive!" Konoha shot up, waving his hands wildly. "I am _way, way _passed, competitive and possibly into….I don't know, envious? Star-struck maybe? What's the right word for I'm abjectly petrified of talking to him; but, also want to ask him a million questions to pick apart his mind!"

Akaashi laughed.

"Oh, shut up, Keiji!" Konoha moaned dramatically. "He's two years younger than me and has been running Spades spy network since before he even Claimed his title. Just wait until the _Queen of Spades _comes and then we'll see how sympathetic _I _am."

Akaashi patted his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll do fine."

There was the rolling clacking sound of wheels on cobblestone and Akaashi and Konoha both squeezed back to the window, just in time to see a beautiful wood carriage with the black mark of the Spades suit embossed on the side.

The carriage stopped, door coming open. From this far up, all that Akaashi could make out was light blond hair and a tall frame.

The figure straightened, stepping out and walking down into the courtyard before stopping in the middle.

His head tilted up and, even though Akaashi knew from the angle of the window that there was no way possible the Jack of Spades could see them, he still couldn't help but feel that the younger man was looking straight up at them and smirking.

Finally, the figure continued his walk, being greeted by the University masters.

Konoha slumped down by the window, letting out a brief shiver. "Oh Fates, he's _terrifying_!"

And Akaashi found he couldn't quite disagree.

Tsukishima Kei, Jack of Spades, had arrived at the University.

ooooo

Tsukishima Kei was planned to be in Clubs for all of two weeks-a few days in the capital followed by most of his time scheduled for the University due to his "annual study" or, more accurately, stealthily meeting the new Suit.

He'd only been there a few days and Akaashi already had no doubt that the younger man was in charge of Cards' spy network, closely aligned with the kingdom's foremost assassin.

There was something sharp about the blond man, not quite cold but purposefully apart in the way he interacted with people that made Akaashi simultaneously wary and distinctly glad the man was on their side.

All in all, Akaashi was perfectly fine leaving the Jack of Spades alone in the library while Akaashi gravitated from his studies to find some warmer company.

The problem was….Akaashi was having some difficulty finding said warmer company.

Unfortunately, Bokuto was far, _far _better at tracking down Akaashi than Akaashi had ever been at finding him. Bokuto seemed to find him unerringly; Akaashi normally had to rely on blind luck.

He checked the courtyards, the cliffs, the classes, even the training grounds and endured all of Yukie and Fumiko's pointed teasing before they finally admitted they hadn't seen him.

Eventually, Akaashi was about to give it up for a loss and assume Bokuto had headed to town, when a bright laugh caught him.

The kitchen.

Akaashi smiled slightly. He should've guessed.

He followed the sound, stopping at the door when he realized Bokuto wasn't alone.

With Bokuto was a servant, short enough to be mistaken for a child until Akaashi caught a better look at his face, grinning widely under a messy mop of shockingly orange hair.

Bokuto was laughing with him, both of the two partly covered in flour and talking animatedly over a pile of….something that Akaashi wasn't even entirely sure was edible.

Akaashi leaned against the door frame, just watching.

There was something about the two, the way that Bokuto's eyes would shine only for the servant to bounce back with him, words jumping between one and the other fast enough that Akaashi couldn't follow. They hadn't noticed him yet and absurdly Akaashi felt like he was watching Bokuto and a tinier, more orange version of him.

He cleared his throat, amused. "The cooks are going to kill you if they find you wasting ingredients."

"Keiji!" Bokuto's head bopped up, grin brightening even further as his eyes landed on Akaashi.

Akaashi smiled back, heart tripping. He really didn't want to leave this behind.

He looked away, only to find the servant watching him, something far more considering glinting in brown eyes before Akaashi blinked at it was gone, fast enough that Akaashi realized he'd probably just imagined it.

The servant grinned. "We're not _wasting _stuff! We're baking!"

Akaashi skeptically eyed the pile of what looked like it could possibly be called dough if the definition of "dough" had been summarily butchered.

"They're mince tarts," the servant said brightly before his face twisted up in a considering expression. "Well, I mean they're kind of mince tarts. It's Yachi's recipe."

The servant eyed the dough again.

"Yachi isn't a very good baker," the servant confessed, leaning in conspiratorially. "So, they're kind of awful."

Akaashi wasn't going to pretend he knew who Yachi was, probably another servant.

Instead, he looked at Bokuto. "And why did you decide to make a purposefully bad recipe?"

"For the Jack of Spades," Bokuto said earnestly, the servant nodding eagerly by his side.

If anything, that made even less sense.

"Why," Akaashi asked, "are you making bad tarts for Clubs' esteemed guest."

"Because they're his favorite," the servant said with an eye roll. "Tsuki has _terrible_ taste!"

Akaashi didn't know whether to puzzle more over a servant knowing the Jack of Spades' favorite pastry or "Tsuki"; but, was luckily saved before he could ask either.

"_Hinata."_

Bokuto and Akaashi both jumped as the terrifying figure of the Jack of Spades strode into the kitchen, looking like he was a step away from murder.

The servant-Hinata?-grinned, waving.

Tsukishima crossed his arms. "What are you doing here?"

Hinata tsked. "Honestly, Tsuki, you can just say you missed me."

"I missed you like I miss sores and rashes," the Jack responded dryly.

"You look tired," Hinata continued, unbothered. "Not getting enough sleep? Homesick?"

"Not at all, it's just very tiring dealing with you."

"Have you been eating enough? Suga told me to make sure you're eating enough."

"Hinata!"

"I made you mince tarts," the servant hooked a finger to the dough. "Yachi's recipe."

Tsukishima glared at him, obviously caught between making another retort even as his eyes flickered traitorously to the dough.

Akaashi decided to step in. "Sorry, do you two know each other?"

Tsukishima sighed like every second was an inordinate burden. "Unfortunately."

Hinata grinned, sticking out his hand. "I'm Spades' official courier and the Suit's manservant. Hinata Shouyou!"

Akaashi delicately took the flour covered hand.

"_Hinata_," Tsukishima repeated, "why are you here?"

Some of the levity in the servant's expression smoothed out as he eyed Tsukishima.

"The Ace of Spades sent me."

Tsukishima raised a brow. "Oh, did he?"

"Definitely," Hinata answered. "You're needed back in Spades."

"And did our Ace happen to mention _why _when I've been planning this trip for months?"

Hinata shrugged. "Why would they tell me? I'm just the messenger."

Tsukishima gave the servant a look like he was blaming him anyway even though Akaashi thought that was a reasonably fair response if a bit more blasé than he was used to from servants.

"Then, I suppose I'll have to _wait _to see what our dear, dear Ace could possibly want with me." Tsukishima crossed his arms. "On an unrelated note, I suppose you'll be riding back with me."

Hinata perked up. "In the carriage?"

"I suppose."

The servant and the Jack didn't stop so much as move together as if an accord had been reached and a plan had been made that seemed to stretch much further than a carriage ride and, at once, Akaashi was struck at the picture it made of the Jack, making him look more approachable, more human maybe, than he'd been in the previous days.

At first, Akaashi thought of a dagger and a sheath, a familiar servant there to cover the Jack's edges. But, on further examination, that seemed….wrong. Something off in implying the Jack was any less dangerous here than he'd been in the seconds before and, oddly, also too off to imply that the bright servant was a cover for a weapon instead of….something else, Akaashi wasn't certain.

No, instead and inexplicably, Akaashi thought of the moon. Nothing about the moon changed when the light of the sun hit it, only the picture of its surface became illuminated. That was how Tsukishima was now, nothing changed just further illuminated.

And, at once, Akaashi's eyes were drawn again to the strange servant-_Hinata. _Because if that was the analogy, then that would put him in the role of the sun. And who was this servant that he had the power to light the faces of royalty?

Then, Hinata grinned up at Bokuto and Akaashi's observations evaporated like morning dew in sunlight.

He shook his head. Perhaps he'd been stuck in the library if he was imposing metaphors and symbolism on poor, unsuspecting Spades' couriers.

Tsukishima and Hinata swept out of the kitchen barely a few minutes later, still swiping cutting remarks back and forth almost like it was a sport.

Akaashi watched them go while arms wrapped around him from behind and he leaned easily into Bokuto's chest.

"So, that's the Jack of Spades, huh," Bokuto said, a puff of breath by Akaashi's ear.

"Yes."

"He's not what I expected."

Akaashi laughed. "No, he isn't."

Between Kuroo and Tsukishima, it seemed that _none_ of the Suit members were what Akaashi had expected.

ooooo

The water dripped down from the cave walls, adding the steadiness of a not quite base that danced whimsically along with the way Bokuto thrummed at his lute.

Watching him, Akaashi unconsciously chewed on his nail in a way that was only part nerves, mostly fascination, and entirely _un_-Queenly behavior.

Time, it seemed, passed strangely with just the two of them tucked deep away, hidden by both rock and sea and lit by sparring candles. That is to say that time felt like it shouldn't be moving at all. So much so that Akaashi forgot it did, only to be pressed doubly with the unpleasant truth of the matter the moment he was confronted again with the sun.

For now, he simply let himself forget.

Bokuto paused in his playing to lean in and kiss him, soft and sweet. "What are you thinking about, Keiji?"

"Nothing in particular," Akaashi answered, letting his weight fall onto Bokuto's shoulder.

Bokuto laughed. "I don't believe you. You're brain's too big and smart to be thinking about nothing. If you wanted to think about nothing, you should've had a head like mine. It's easier to get lost in."

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "Ridiculous."

"That, too." Bokuto's fingers skipped along the chords, playing something light-the first chords of a jig, maybe, before he got distracted and moved off into the sweetness of a lullaby. "So, what are you thinking nothing about?"

Akaashi stayed still.

"...the coronation, I suppose," he admitted softly.

Bokuto went quiet beneath him, the melody changing to something slower that he always preferred for deeper thoughts and Akaashi felt momentarily panicked.

Because as much as it scared him to believe Bokuto _wasn't _thinking about the coronation; the only thing that scared him more was that Bokuto _was _and it was a thought he didn't wish to share with Akaashi.

The moment passed as easily as it came when Bokuto asked, "Hmm, hey, Keiji, after the coronation, what's the first thing you want to do?"

Akaashi's thoughts pulled to a stop, the question twisting in his mind as he realized he'd been thinking much more imminently about either the coronation itself or the long-term demands of being Queen instead of the specifics of first actions.

"I suppose putting out a speech would be good," Akaashi thought for another second. "Maybe planning a tour of the kingdom for the next season so all of Clubs that can't make it to the coronation can see their Suit."

"No, I mean like-," Bokuto huffed, fingers moving quickly through chord progressions, "I don't mean the official stuff, I mean like what do you want to change first?"

Akaashi blinked. "Change?

"Yeah, you know, what do you want to make better?"

When Akaashi thought of being Queen, he thought of upholding what came before him. He thought of Satoshi, of Fumiko and Aratani, of the late King Susumu. He thought of the people he'd serve and preserving the kingdom they loved.

He did not think of change.

The question settled like a stone in his stomach, uncomfortable and heavy.

"I'm not sure," he admitted quietly, settled in the warmth of Bokuto's side and hoping it would melt the chill of Akaashi's hesitance. "What would you change? If you could do anything?"

"Oh, um," Bokuto blushed under him. "It's stupid. Whatever idea you come up with is probably going to be a lot better, Keiji, trust me."

"You underestimate yourself," Akaashi said, shifting so he can look up at Bokuto's face.

The lute had fallen silent in between them.

"No, really," Bokuto said, "it's probably a dumb idea. I don't think a lot of people would like it."

"I'd still like to hear it." Akaashi curled in more firmly, resting a hand on Bokuto's bandaged hand. "Please, Kotaro."

Even under the candle light, he could see how Bokuto's blush darkened.

"I'd like….I'd like to try and get the mining villages and the University branches to work more together," he said, words halting and hesitant. "I mean, you know, right now they're both great and everything. But, they're both...they're both _Clubs, _yeah? And sometimes it just feels like they hardly know anything about each other and that….I mean it feels like it shouldn't be like that, right? Not when they're both what makes Clubs awesome."

By the end of his speech, the words were coming a bit quicker, a little more fire beneath them that died down to embers as soon as he looked up as if realizing he said everything out loud.

Akaashi's hand moved up to cup his cheek and Bokuto's breath shuddered out of him, turning up to Akaashi with a small smile.

"Sometimes…..sometimes, that's why I think I'm _here_," he said, bandage hand coming up to make an aborted gesture.

Akaashi felt confused. "At the University?"

Bokuto blinked. "I guess? I mean more like….I don't know like maybe it's my fate or something." He let out a half laugh, self deprecating. "But, probably not, yeah? My fate's probably something a lot more simple, right? Like trying to make sure everything doesn't catch on fire."

Akaashi just smiled. "I can't believe someone like you could ever have a fate that simple. You're too important for that."

"Now, who's being ridiculous?"

"Still you." Akaashi kissed him, just a soft press of lips-a reassurance, a promise. "How would you do it? Bring the mining cities and the Universities together, I mean."

"Huh?" Bokuto's eyes flickered open, distracted enough by the kiss that he answered before he could start second guessing. "Probably by setting up more work programs. Get some of the fancy University scholars to work more in the caves, set up more relationships between the two. And, also, maybe help the kids from mining cities get more of a chance to see what all the University's doing. Make it easier to attend if they want to later."

"That sounds like a great idea," Akaashi told him.

Bokuto's blush returned, ducking his head down and smiling softly. "You really think so."

"Yes."

And if Akaashi would one day be Queen, he'd do everything possible to make sure it came to pass.

"Guess we've both got more time to think about it though," Bokuto said, cutting through Akaashi's thoughts. "A few more months at least."

Akaashi tried not to twist unpleasantly at the thought of time.

He settled back on his place at Bokuto's shoulder, watching as his hands returned to the lute.

"Play me something, please," Akaashi requested.

Bokuto let out another laugh. "As _my Queen_ commands."

Akaashi elbowed him because, Fates, he _knew_ that Bokuto had realized what that particular way of saying his title did to him.

Bokuto dodged him as well as he could, the first notes of a song playing out and Akaashi closed his eyes to listen to them better.

Bokuto sang lightly along, his deeper voice moving under where Akaashi's head laid as he sang about a fair spring and a fairer maiden and a poor farm boy that tied it all together.

"Are all the ones you know love songs," Akaashi teased, eyes coming open to trace the lines of Bokuto's hands as they moved along the cords.

Bokuto hummed, pausing momentarily as the lights of the candles drew out the curves of his smile, making it look almost mischievous.

"Well, maybe not _all _of them. I do know one that's fairly unromantic if you'd like."

Akaashi leaned his head on his hands. "Oh?"

"It's a classic," Bokuto confessed.

Akaashi smiled. "I didn't think you bothered with classics."

"It's an exception. One of my favorites, probably," His hands stilled on the lute. "Want to hear it?"

"Of course," Akaashi said.

He made sure to stay quiet like being too loud would break the moment held between them in the shadows of the candles and the breath between the strings.

Bokuto readied his hands, brows drawing down with an intensity that wouldn't look out of place for a court minstrel.

Akaashi leaned forward as he waited.

Bokuto cleared his throat.

"_There once was a man from Sanpucket-_"

Akaashi's laugh burst through the cave like the echo of the canon.

"_Whose dic-"_

"Fates, don't you _dare _finish that line," Akaashi said, trying and failing to stop laughing long enough to catch his breath. He batted feebly at Bokuto's hands on the lute. "You're ridiculous!"

"It's a classic," Bokuto defended, grinning back as he turned his hands, twisting them until they intertwined with Akaashi's. "How can you hate classics, Keiji!"

Akaashi didn't bother responding, grabbing Bokuto's collar with his free hand and pulling him forward to lick the next words out of his mouth.

ooooo

He loved him. By the Fates, Akaashi was in love with him.

Heart pounding like a fall from a cliff. Dizzying as the notes of a lute. Surprising as finding rubies among rubble. More encompassing than anything like Fates and magic and Suits and titles had ever hoped to be.

He was in love with Bokuto Kotaro.

And Akaashi felt like his heart would break even as it felt like soaring.

ooooo

It was not something as ridiculous as a crush, no matter _what _Konoha said.

That would be absurd and, honestly, as they were Akaashi's feelings and he very well knew what a crush felt like-thank you very much!-he could say with absolute certainty that it was not a crush.

It was….

Look, the fact remained that Akaashi did not have a crush on the Queen of Spades.

"It's an intellectual crush," Konoha teased. "You're in love with his brain or his magic or whatever it is that mages like to dork out about."

Akaashi rolled his eyes. "I _admire _him; he knows more about magic than anyone in generations-probably in all of Cards history. Calling it a crush is just ridiculous."

"Would you prefer hero worship?"

"_No._"

He could already tell Konoha was getting ready to tease him more-probably still payback from Tsukishima Kei's visit-so Akaashi happened to say in a completely casual tone, "Oh, look is that Satoshi I see looking for me? Better not let him catch you."

Konoha glared at Akaashi before turning back and swearing when he actually did see a very familiar profile starting down the hall.

"This isn't over," Konoha hissed, ducking back into the shadows of the hallway and scurrying away before the Queen of Clubs could see who Akaashi was talking with.

Akaashi smiled victoriously, ducking his head in greeting at the timely approach of his guardian. "Queen Satoshi."

Satoshi inclined his head in response. "Akaashi, I don't suppose you have a moment? There's someone who'd like to meet you."

Akaashi felt his heart beat faster in excitement-_not a crush, absolutely not a crush, intellectual or otherwise_-which he tamped down with a graceful nod. "Of course, my Queen, I'm at your disposal."

Of all the Card Suits, easily the most beloved was Sugawara Koushi, the Queen of Spades and the Mage of Air. It wasn't just his power or his age, though, really, never had there been a recorded case in Cards' history that a Suit member was so in touch with both magic and the kingdom to halt his age and still be worthy to rule over a century later. Yet, it was his kindness and his grace that Cards most knew him for-the perfect picture of a Queen.

Sugawara Koushi was the figure that, either consciously or unconsciously, all Queens had tried to model themselves out of even as the man himself stood beside them.

So, yes, it was possible Akaashi had a little bit of hero worship.

None of which actually prepared him for the sudden onset of nerves at actually _meeting _the Queen of Spades.

Warm eyes and silver hair greeted him as he entered the garden.

"Hello. You must be Akaashi Keiji. Satoshi's told me so much about you. I'm so pleased to finally meet you."

The man himself looked surprisingly young-barely mid-twenties even though Akaashi knew he'd been Queen of Spades since the time of Satoshi's predecessor. His clothes were simple but well-kept with the mark of Spades as the most prominent feature, embroidered and resting over the man's heart where the actual Mark lay beneath fabric. And, yet, there was something about the man that radiated serenity, a calm kind of power that wasn't made by loud actions and force but by soothing words and careful calculations. Something about the man that made it obvious he stood in a seat of power and, more, that he _belonged _there.

Akaashi took the hand offered to him. "A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness."

The Queen laughed. "Oh please, call me Suga. After all, we're going to be working together for quite a long time. Trust me, the formalities get rather old after the first decade."

Akaashi hesitated, eyes flickering briefly to Satoshi as if asking if he could really call someone like the Queen of Spades by something as simple as a nickname. Satoshi was standing back, face impassive in a clear sign he was letting Akaashi handle this on his own.

"Suga," Akaashi agreed, pausing as his brain tired to sort through an appropriate opening question, "how long are you planning on staying in Clubs?"

"Just a week or so," Suga said, tossing him a wink. "Spying, of course, but I believe we're using more delicate phrasing. I heard you met our Jack recently? I hope Tsukishima didn't give you too much trouble. He really is a lot more friendly than he is on first meetings." The Queen hesitated. "Well, alright, maybe 'friendly' is the wrong word."

Akaashi doubted anyone had ever referred to Tsukishima as "friendly" in his entire life.

Akaashi nodded anyway. "Yes, a few weeks ago. I'm afraid he had to leave early, though. Your courier came to call him back to Spades."

"Our courier?" Suga's eyes lit up. "Ah, then you've met Hinata, then. _Good. _I imagine he'll be a rather frequent visitor across Cards so it's nice to hear he's becoming familiar."

Akaashi briefly thought about the mess of the kitchen, an indistinguishable pile of dough, and the twin smiles of Bokuto and Hinata. He supposed it was still better than Kuroo and Bokuto together.

Suga smiled at him as if trying to divine his thoughts though Akaashi couldn't tell yet what he could possibly be looking for.

"So, Akaashi," Suga said, kind voice lilting in the garden, "what's your plans once you become Queen?"

"To serve Clubs and the Card Kingdom," Akaashi answered, words ready enough and coming on reflex even though they were true.

"A perfect answer," Suga agreed. "And one that I'm sure is true for all of us. However, I find I'm more curious about the specifics. I've found that the best way to see where a new ruler's mind is is to find out their larger goal."

"Really, Sugawara," Satoshi stepped in beside them, "Akaashi hasn't even become Queen yet. He should be focused on upholding all that Clubs already is rather than having his mind pulled away by trying to change it."

Suga merely smiled, eyes not leaving Akaashi.

"Change is inevitable," Suga said calmly, "even for one such as myself, maybe even especially. What is and what has been can only get any of us so far. Eventually, we all must look to what is to come. If not, the eventuality will swallow us whole."

Like wind smoothing down the stone of mountains into sand, there was something beneath the Queen of Spades' smile-something deeply powerful, knowing and ever present, even if only glancing once would make it seem as small as a gentle breeze.

And Akaashi….Akaashi was struck suddenly by the fact that he _did _have an answer. An answer that he wouldn't have had a month ago, maybe not even a week ago, but one that his tongue found easily now like a laugh echoing in the walls of a cave.

"Festivals," he said decisively. "I want more festivals."

Both Suga and Satoshi leaned back at the answer, Suga blinking in what looked like mild surprise while Satoshi frowned in confusion.

"Festivals," Satoshi repeated, not even quite disapproving, merely thrown off by the unexpected frivolousness from his most dedicated student. "You want Cards to have….more parties?"

Akaashi laughed, the sound feeling warm in his chest. "Well, no, not parties exactly. Showcases or...or maybe exhibition fairs, workshops. It's just…," he paused, finding the words to make them understand, "if being here, if traveling across Clubs has taught me anything, it's that our people have so many different voices, different talents. I want more opportunities to celebrate those, more chances for people to see what the kingdom is doing, to have pride in their own talents. And I want….," he smiled, "I want everyone to see that it doesn't have to be perfect. That there's nothing really perfect about anything, just a million different paths to make things beautiful. I want Clubs to have a chance to see the joy in creating rather than just the finished product."

Akaashi thought about misshapen stone flowers and notes lilting and weaving together.

Yes, Akaashi wanted to give his people a chance to find their own joy.

Satoshi was still staring at him, conflicted as if unsure how he should respond.

Suga, on the other hand, was watching Akaashi with a particular light shining in his eyes.

"I think….," the Queen of Spades began, "that sounds like a wonderful idea. I'd be _very _interested in hearing more if you don't mind?"

Akaashi felt his heart beating beneath his breath, felt the wind across his face, and the sun warming his hair.

For the first time, Akaashi felt like he was exactly who he should be.

He was himself.

He smiled back. "Of course."

ooooo

"Keiji?" Bokuto brightened at seeing him. "Hey, Keiji! I heard you met the Queen of Sp-_mfph!_"

Akaashi laughed into the kiss, hands gripping in Bokuto's shirt and pressing in harder.

When he broke off, he didn't go far, barely an inch away and feeling Bokuto's pants against his lips.

"So….um, I'm….thinking it went well?"

"Mhmm," Akaashi hummed in agreement, leaning his head against Bokuto's and looking up intently through his lashes. "It did. But, I think my day's about to be even _better._"

"Yeah?" Bokuto grinned up at him with fire lit through gold eyes. "Why's that, _my Queen_?"

Akaashi laughed again, fumbling behind Bokuto's back for the door to his room and throwing it open.

He shoved Bokuto though, following right after.

"Try to guess."

ooooo

The sun was warm, shining through to rest on the silver in Bokuto's hair and the soft linen of the bed sheets.

Akaashi felt incandescently happy.

"Keiji." Bokuto trailed kisses along his chest. "Keiji."

Bokuto paused in his attention at the Mark resting above Akaashi's heart. "My Keiji, my Queen."

Akaashi's breath caught at the feeling of teeth against the edges of his Mark before Bokuto placed a soft, lingering kiss right at the center of the Club symbol.

"That tickles," Akaashi said in what wasn't anywhere near a complaint with how his hand had come to thread firmly through Bokuto's hair, keeping him in place.

He could feel Bokuto's smile against his chest and Akaashi had to wonder if the skin around his Mark had always been so sensitive.

"Keiji," Bokuto repeated, letting out a soft sigh as he closed his eyes, seeming content to just rest his cheek over Akaashi's heart.

Akaashi took the time to watch him, the hand gripped in Bokuto's hair loosening enough to run his fingers through it in a soothing gesture.

The sight before him was one worth watching and Akaashi found his eyes fixed on the smaller details-the way Bokuto's sun tanned skin looked against Akaashi's paleness, broad shoulders with a smattering of freckles Akaashi had never seen before, strong back half held on the mattress so he wouldn't crush Akaashi beneath him, mused hair half flattened and somehow even wilder in the light of the afternoon sun.

Really, it was a sight Akaashi thought he'd be entranced to watch forever.

His lips quirked up in amusement, hand running down and lifting Bokuto's left hand-for once, ungloved even if his other was still bandaged firmly.

Bokuto made a questioning noise.

"Tan line," Akaashi answered, softly running his finger along where the starkly paler skin met golden tan. Akaashi laid a kiss on the center of the palm before letting it drop. "It's strange, I think this is the first time I've seen your hands without a glove."

Bokuto went still on top of him, propping himself up and looking down at Akaashi with a hesitant but determined expression.

"Do you want me to….I mean would you like to see….," he gestured with his bandaged hand. "Do you want me to take off the bandage?"

Akaashi smiled. "It's fine, Kotaro. I know."

It was enough that Bokuto felt comfortable enough even removing one glove around Akaashi. If keeping the bandage helped serve as a makeshift glove then Akaashi was just glad Bokuto was happy.

After all, it wasn't as if Akaashi had some pressing need to see both of Bokuto's palms….Even though he's sure having _two _tan line marked hands would be adorable.

"Besides," Akaashi grinned, bringing the other hand up to kiss at the skin right above the bandage, "what would the healers say if they saw your suddenly healed wrist."

"Heh, it's a miracle," Bokuto joked but his expression evened out, going back to rest on Akaashi's chest.

Bokuto sighed, breath fanning out against Akaashi's skin.

"My Keiji," he murmured softly.

"Yours," Akaashi agreed.

He felt Bokuto's breath catch. "Hey, Keiji…."

Bokuto trailed off.

"Yes?"

Instead of saying anything, Bokuto pushed forward.

His lips met Akaashi's, hand coming up to grip the back of his neck, and pulling him up into something deep. Something ground shattering, clinging to Akaashi's very bones and magnetizing the blood in his veins.

A declaration more than a kiss. A promise more than a movement.

And Akaashi felt it in a way that cleanly broke through the moment previous, separating it into a new present where everything previous would always be a mere _before _with this as the inevitable conclusion.

_Oh, _Akaashi thought in the part of him that was still capable of thought. ….._Oh._

Bokuto truly had always been better with actions than with words.

When they finally separated, a new eternity, Akaashi gave the answer that mirrored the action.

"I love you," he said, clear like the light off a gem.

Bokuto smiled back like the final note in a symphony. "My Queen."


	6. Part 6: Late September through October

Countless crowds have tried to write of love. Thousands of songs wade in the waters of its effect. Minstrels weep, poets rage, artists despair. And, in the hidden fields of a valley, an old farmer smiles at his wife and knows the truth down to the fabric of his soul even if he could never find the words.

Here's the secret: love can never be restricted so callously as to be _defined._

It has always been meant to be unexpected.

ooooooo

In Clubs, Fall has always been a time for festivals.

Akaashi found it particularly fitting that Bokuto's birthday marked the beginning of the season. Like even nature itself knew his coming to the world was a time for celebration.

Akaashi liked the idea of that, a marker in time itself for a presence that seemed so much bigger than ordinary life.

Bokuto himself was a lot less introspective about the matter.

"It's my birthday, _Keiji_," Bokuto shouted excitedly, far too close to Akaashi's ear as the larger man all but draped himself over Akaashi's shoulders. "Stop with the heavy thinking. Birthdays are for cake and dancing, not for getting all quiet and contemplative."

Akaashi let himself be pulled around and around as Bokuto moved to the front, wrapping arms around Akaashi's waist and twisting them around the grass in a plucky kind of dance without tune. His lute rested beside, happily waiting until its master's hands could return to it.

Akaashi smiled, leaning forward to rest his head on Bokuto's shoulder. He concentrated on the ground below and seconds later, flowers bloomed around them, unfurling petals in the light of the setting sun.

He looked up to find Bokuto positively beaming at him.

"My Queen," he said, words soft and affectionate.

Akaashi fought back the blush rising to his cheeks.

"Stop that," he complained, ducking his head into Bokuto's neck.

"Stop what, _my Queen? _My Keiji?"

"You know exactly what."

Bokuto laughed, landing kisses along Akaashi's face quick and fast like he couldn't decide where to land. "Never. Besides, it's my _birthday_!"

"Mhm," Akaashi pulled up his magic to add a bit of chill before sending cold air right up Bokuto's back. He grinned when Bokuto yelped. "See, with that kind of attitude, you're going to get all big headed."

"Nah, I've got you to stop me." Bokuto wound his arms tighter along Akaashi's waist and Akaashi simply breathed in deeply, resting his head on the shoulder beneath him.

Akaashi closed his eyes.

He could feel Bokuto's heart beat strongly underneath him and, in the steady wind of the early autumn season blowing the scent of ocean and earth underneath, Akaashi thought everything was absolutely perfect.

"Keiji?"

"Mhm."

"I love you."

Akaashi breathed out. _Absolutely perfect._

"I love you, too," he whispered back.

"...Keiji….can we….will you-"

Bokuto cut off and Akaashi lifted his head in confusion.

Bokuto just smiled, shaking his head and kissing away the wrinkle between Akaashi's brow.

"Never mind, I'll ask you later."

ooooooo

Akaashi fell back on his bed, holding up a stone flower with slightly misshapen leaves.

"I'm happy," he told the silence.

Konoha sighed like the world had personally offended him.

"Keiji, I swear to the Fates, why can't you ever say that _once _and have me actually believe you."

"I _am _happy," Akaashi insisted.

His room is painted in afternoon light, old music books forgotten in the corner, in progress sculptures and not ideal replicas scattered on his desk, and uncut rubies glittering happily from an ordinary rock laying at his bedside. And, of course, the owner of the room itself with a head full of new plans dancing merrily along to folk songs and a will that finally felt all his own.

"I am happy," Akaashi said for a third time because it was true.

"Okay," Konoha said and his voice has dropped lower into something more serious. He drops onto the edge of the bed, next to him. "And?"

"I'll have to leave him," Akaashi answered quietly.

Konoha frowned. "Keiji-"

"Not like that." Akaashi shook his head. "Not leave him as in…..as in _end things_." Even the thought of it made his chest feel tight and if Bokuto _wanted_ that, if that's what he was leading to in the quiet moments that seemed too frequent, then Akaashi would….well, Akaashi could….He pressed his lips firm. "Maybe...maybe that would be the easier path; but, I can't choose it. I could never hurt him like that and, besides…..I think I'm far too selfish to end things even if I should."

"That's not selfish," Konoha disagreed.

"Isn't it? It could be _years _before I see him again, Konoha. And even then, a life tied to a Suit member has never been for everyone. Isn't it selfish that I can't make myself let him go now?"

"No." His friend looked very serious. "That's just hope."

Akaashi smiled. "Yes and hope can be a very, very greedy thing."

Konoha didn't make a move to answer, just waited.

Akaashi sighed. "Like love, too, I suppose." He leaned back. "I'll have to leave him soon and, any way you look at it, I won't get to see him for a long time. I understand that. I hate it. Waiting for it to come feels like drowning. But, I accept it. Those are the choices we made and I'm selfish; but, I'm not selfish enough that I regret being Queen or begrudge his opportunity to learn here. How can I when there's so many things we can make better? But, I…."

"I'm happy here," he continued ruefully. "I like it here. _I like who I am. _And it's because of him, Konoha, and I'm scared…" He looked up at his friend. "I'm scared that I'll leave and I'll forget. So much of what's happened is because of him. I'm _myself _because of him. And I'm so scared that I'll leave here and forget who I am again. I'm scared I can't be the person he loves, the me that I _like, _when I don't have him to remind me."

"Keiji…," Konoha moved forward, paused briefly before coming to a decision and reaching forward to grab Akaashi's chin, pulling him forward to meet his eyes.

"Akaashi Keiji, my Queen and my best friend, if you get any deeper in that head of yours, I think you'll be lost forever." Konoha didn't let him look down and the next words he said like a commandment. "If you honestly believe that going back to who you were is that easy, then you're _severely _underestimating all that you've worked to change."

Konoha let go of his chin and sighed.

"Keiji, it's okay to be scared. It's okay to be terrified you won't be the person you want to be. We all are. But, Keiji," Konoha smiled, "you were never doing this alone."

ooooooo

Akaashi sat in a quiet, dark room and waited for Bokuto's breathing to even out.

He hated this part. He always did and he thought he always would because it meant Bokuto was struggling, that there was a pain that neither Akaashi's heart or his magic could easily erase.

But, despite either Bokuto or Akaashi's wishes, this was still a part of Bokuto's life and Akaashi would always want to be here.

Finally, Bokuto leaned back, closing his eyes and resting his head against the wall in a drowsy kind of tiredness.

"That one was shorter than the last," Akaashi observed.

"It was." Bokuto's expression eased into a smile. "And I was able to hold it back a lot longer, too. That's good, that's _better._"

"Good." Akaashi reached out before hesitating, waiting for permission.

Bokuto nodded and Akaashi's hand went to his hair, running fingers through it to ease out any odd tangles.

Bokuto sighed happily, eyes still closed as he took long, even breaths.

"You're beautiful, Keiji."

Akaashi kissed his brow. "Your eyes are closed."

He laughed. "Why would I need my eyes to tell me you're beautiful? You're _Keiji._"

Akaashi's breath tripped up in his chest.

"Ridiculous," he accused to cover up the way he was blushing.

"Mmm," Bokuto didn't disagree. "Everything's about to change soon, isn't it?"

"Yes," Akaashi threaded his hand against Bokuto's own and squeezed, the feel of the glove's fabric snug against his palm, "and no."

Bokuto opened his eyes.

"We can make things better," Bokuto said, a soft realization and almost reverent with the way the dusted light made his eyes go gold and hair shine silver.

"We will," Akaashi agreed and then more quietly, "I don't want to say goodbye to you."

Akaashi's heart beat thickly in the silence, a painful thud against his ribs.

Bokuto blinked, tilting his head with a small almost lost smile.

"But, it's not _really _a goodbye, is it," Bokuto asked. "I mean….not forever."

Akaashi smiled back, moving forward until his head leaned against Bokuto's.

"You're right."

Then, he kissed him because he couldn't not, because Bokuto was warm and kind and light, because Bokuto was _strong, _and Akaashi loved him.

And he was right. It wasn't forever-maybe years, but not forever.

Because, one day, Akaashi would hold him again and never have to leave.

He just had to be strong until then.

ooooooo

"So, our King…."

If there was one thing, Akaashi would _emphatically _not miss it was hearing gossip about a king he hadn't even met yet.

Resigning himself-and not all because he was curious-he listened in anyway to see if it was something he should stop.

"Yes, our King," Master Osamu said. "Oh, honestly, Hekima, I _know! _Quit with that smile!"

Master Hekima laughed anyway. "He's ready."

And even Akaashi sat up a little straighter over the balcony

"Barely," Osamu said, elderly knees creaking as he leaned against the window seat "He'll need additional lessons in some subjects, of course. It's still only been a year."

"He's ready," Hekima repeated happily. "He's _ready!_"

"He's still unorthodox." Osamu grumbled.

Hekima merely raised a brow.

"...yes, yes, fine, _alright_." Osamu rolled his eyes. "He's grown on me, too."

Hekima sighed wistfully, leaning next to him. "Hard to believe it's time already. An entirely new Suit, a new _King._" She eyed Osamu. "Well, come now, you're the historian. Tell me what you're thinking."

Osamu paused. "I think it's more than that, I think Cards is entering a new era."

"Really?"

"Just a feeling." He waved a hand. "Change in the air. It's subtle; but, when you're as old as I, sometimes all it takes is that." He looked up towards the clouds. "Hearts and their missing King. Spades and their immortal Queen. Diamonds with their Chessmaster and their Shadow King. And, of course, our own King-the first of his kind since the Universities opened centuries ago. There's a hand of Fate in all this. Something pushing us forward."

"Towards what," Hekima asked.

"Who can say?" Osamu smiled. "I suppose that will be our new Suits' job to figure out."

ooooooo

Satoshi continued to turn through the itinerary. "And, of course, the coronations will follow in the traditional order so the Ace and Jack will come before you, followed by the new King."

Akaashi nodded politely, refraining from letting his gaze wander to the window. Outside, the sky was a lovely blue, the wind blowing gently at the red and golds of the trees. A beautiful day. He idly wondered if Bokuto had gone climbing.

"Following the coronations will be the feast and dancing plus that blasted case of champagne Nekomata sent. For the music, the new King requested-"

"Actually," Akaashi interrupted smoothly, "would it be a problem to start with something other than champagne, maybe a drink with Cubs' brandy?"

Satoshi paused, tapping on the notes. "Hmm, no, I suppose not. It's not as if anyone would complain if we started with a Clubs' specialty plus we already have a few cases reserved. Any reason why?"

"Champagne bubbles always makes me feel like I need to sneeze."

Satoshi gave a warm smile. "Starting with a brandy drink will be fine."

Outside, a bird chirped as it landed briefly on the window sill before taking flight, momentarily grabbing both the mages' attention.

Satoshi sat down the notes and sighed. "I suppose we've already been over the itinerary enough. It seems a shame to waste a lovely day like this, especially on our last week here."

Akaashi ducked his head in gratitude. "Thank you."

He stood, already thinking about getting to the cliffs.

"Akaashi," Satoshi called before he was to the door. "Wait, before you go, I have something I'd like to talk to you about."

Akaashi turned. "Yes, my Queen."

"You seem….," Satoshi looked for a word, "not distracted, I suppose. You seem bothered, maybe." His mentor frowned. "I simply wanted to check that there was nothing the matter. The coronation will go fine, Akaashi, I already know it. I would not have given my approval if I didn't believe you were ready."

"I'm not worried about the coronation," Akaashi reassured before pausing. "Well, no, I am worried; but, I believe it's a good kind. I'm just….," he looked down, "I'm sorry, Satoshi, I _am _excited about the coronation. Truly. I promise. It's not the coronation that's bothering me, it's leaving for it."

Satoshi's frown deepened. "I was not aware you cared for this University branch that greatly."

"It's not…."

Akaashi cut himself off and looked up at the man that had raised him, that was as much a father as he was a mentor even if neither of them were particularly prone to expressions of sentiment or, at least, they had never been before.

Perhaps that was another thing Akaashi should possibly change.

"I met someone," Akaashi admitted quietly and couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.

"Ah." Satoshi shifted, caught momentarily off balance. "Are you sure….are you sure that's _wise_, Akaashi, to start seeing someone so soon before the coronation?"

"No." He laughed. "No, it probably wasn't; but, I don't regret it."

He breathed in with the moment of silence.

"I love him." Akaashi smiled.

Satoshi breathed out slowly. "Oh, Keiji." He shook his head. "If you'd like….well, it certainly wouldn't be unusual to make room in the capital's palace for an extra resident. Of course, focusing on the your new responsibilities would still take priority, especially in this first year; but, if you'd like, we can-"

"He's staying here," Akaashi interrupted, smile still illuminating his face even as his chest ached. "He's a University student, a new one. And he's fought for this for so long, he cares _so much_….I would never suggest he leave his own fate for mine."

Satoshi stepped forward, motions hesitant. "Keiji…"

Abruptly, Akaashi realized he was crying, tears running nearly silently down his cheeks.

Akaashi laughed, whipping at them futilely as he looked at his mentor. "Satoshi, what's the hardest thing you've ever had to do as Queen?"

Despite everything, Akaashi still jerked at the hand that landed on his shoulder.

"Oh, Keiji," Satoshi repeated, sighing, "I'm sorry. I am so very sorry."

"I don't want to leave him," Akaashi admitted, whispering the confession almost too low to be heard. "I have to; but, I don't want it."

Satoshi pulled back, looking down at the boy he raised.

Silently, he kissed his brow.

"One day, I'll have to meet this boy who stole your heart."

ooooooo

Time can pass slow like the steady gathering of clouds or quick like the sky suddenly turned black. In the end, Akaashi supposed it didn't really matter.

Eventually, all moments had to come to an end.

Even a Mage couldn't stop time.

ooooooo

"What are you doing?"

"Shh," Akaashi said in the darkness, concentrating on his task, "I'm trying to see if I can make your hair stay flat."

Bokuto laughed, laying back content. "It's not going to work."

Akaashi licked his thumb, trying to hold the stray piece down, only for it to immediately shoot straight back up the second he let it go.

"Told you."

Akaashi gave up. "Your hair defies physics."

"Maybe it's my own brand of magic."

"That's some pretty vain magic."

Bokuto laughed again, hooking an arm around Akaashi's waist and rolling them over.

He beamed down at Akaashi, grin shining in the hints of moonlight.

Outside, it was still the dark pitch of a deep night; but, soon that too would fall away into the aching reds of sunrise and the brightness of a new day.

A day that would see the new Suit finally leave on their journey for the capital.

Akaashi basked in the darkness, hand on the back of Bokuto's neck and pulling him closer as Akaashi himself arched into the warmth as if he could absorb it into his own skin and never have it leave.

His eyes were wet as he pulled back even though he didn't wish for them to be, wanted nothing more than for them to live in simply this moment as long as they possibly could.

"Keiji," Bokuto said, a note of surprise or possibly even fear as his thumb wiped under Akaashi's eyes, "is it the festiv-"

Akaashi kissed him to a silence.

"I don't want to talk about it," he requested quietly. "It's the last night. So pl_ease, _Kotaro, let's not talk about it."

Bokuto still looked worried, the expression sitting oddly on his face and that wasn't right-Akaashi far preferred his smile.

So, instead, he let his hand drift soothingly through Bokuto's hair, marveling at the gold eyes like precious metal, at the hair in shades of silver, at the lips that shaped ballads, and the hands that whispered symphonies.

"I love you," he said.

And the furrow in Bokuto's brow finally melted back into a smile.

Bokuto kissed him, deep and far too short. "_Keiji."_

"Not my Queen," Akaashi teased.

Bokuto huffed a laugh; but, his eyes looked strangely serious. "No, not tonight, not yet. Tonight, I just want you to be my Keiji."

Akaashi's smile softened. "Always."

Bokuto swallowed and then, quite annoyingly, pulled away-leaving Akaashi in the sudden shiver of cold as Bokuto ducked down beside the bed to fumble through forgotten clothes.

At once, Akaashi felt panicked, hand going out to clutch Bokuto's shoulder. "You don't have to leave _yet_. There's still hours until-"

"I'm not." Bokuto sat back on the bed, one hand held behind his back and the other pulling Akaashi's hand off his shoulder and kissing his wrist before letting it drop. "I just needed to find something."

"Find what?" Akaashi frowned, heart settling back into a normal rhythm.

"I need to ask you something."

Bokuto smiled. His eyes were on Akaashi and, in the depth of the night, Akaashi felt their heartbeats like waves crashing on cliffs.

"There's something I want to ask you," Bokuto repeated, words low. "And I wanted to do it before….well _before _everything, I guess. While we're still just us. I wanted this to come first. It _should _come first because even with….with Fate and magic and _everything, _you're _Keiji_." Bokuto swallowed, smiling helplessly. "You're Keiji, even before you're my Queen. You're always Keiji. And I love you."

His hand moved from behind his back, opening his palm to show shining silver and polished stone, held carefully in the worn softness of a black glove.

Akaashi felt his heart stop.

"Sorry, I'm not as good with words as you," Bokuto blushed. "I would've done this earlier; but, I've been trying to think of what to say all week. So, I guess this is kind of last minute; but-"

"Kotaro," Akaashi interrupted, breath stuttered in his lungs.

Bokuto took a steadying breath and smiled, the beautiful bright smile that a man who didn't even know his own self had known to fall in love with.

"Akaashi Keiji, will you marry me?"

Akaashi's breath hit him with the force of thunder.

"_Yes._"

It was an impossible promise, one that changed nothing and everything. Akaashi was still leaving in the morning, Bokuto would still be here. Akaashi would still become Queen while Bokuto learned and they both sought to become all they wished to be. An engagement was a promise that would take _years _until it could actually be fulfilled.

But, it _was_ a promise. It was something Akaashi could hold close to his heart and, within this year, Akaashi had found that he didn't care for impossibilities. He cared for songs and laughter and the glint of stones and waves crashing on cliffs and the wild smile of a beautiful man.

It was an impossible promise that Akaashi gave with all of his heart.

And impossibly, Bokuto's smile widened even further. "Wait, _really_?! Keij-"

Akaashi didn't wait, throwing himself forward to taste that smile and trusting Bokuto would catch him.

He did and Akaashi felt warm lips against his, a laugh echoed into his mouth and hands gripping at his waist.

Bokuto tried to pull back, smiling as he did.

Akaashi didn't let him

"Keiji, I gotta-mpff"

Akaashi kept kissing him.

"Wait, Keiji, at least let me put the ring on!"

Akaashi pulled back with a laughing smile.

He looked at Bokuto and, in the quiet of the night, the words felt shy-held to keep warm between two hearts as if they were the only ones that existed, hidden in the darkness of the room.

Akaashi held out his hand. "Alright, go ahead."

In the quiet and the moonlight, Akaashi could hear the way that Bokuto's breath caught slightly, could see the way that he gazed at Akaashi and it was everything.

Bokuto slid the ring on before bringing Akaashi's hand up and kissing the knuckle, light and soft as a melody.

Akaashi felt his heart like a drum as he looked down on the ring. "Is that…"

"It's black opal." Bokuto's cheeks blushed a bright red as he ran a hand through his hair. "It's the same one….from, from that time you saved me. From when we met."

Akaashi's mouth felt dry as it curled further into the smile. "I thought you were a miner, you know-the very first time I saw you. One from the local villages, I mean. I wondered why you were so far out from the usual mines."

Bokuto grinned. "I _am _a miner, Keiji. I'll always be."

"You are," Akaashi agreed, turning his hand so he could hold the soft wool of Bokuto's glove against his-the soft fabric contrasting brilliantly with the shinning metal.

"You definitely are," Akaashi said again, looking up at him, "but you're more than that, too."

Bokuto's grin softened, looking down at the hand held carefully in Akaashi's own and hidden under a dark glove.

"Yeah," he said quietly, "I guess I am."

ooooooo

In the end, Akaashi couldn't bring himself to say the word "goodbye." He didn't know if he ever could.

Bokuto had never been the best at words and Akaashi, for once, simply couldn't find them.

So, instead, Akaashi simply held him close, he kissed him one last time, and tried to smile like he didn't hurt-like they didn't both know this was some kind of end even with a vow still wound between them to one day be fulfilled.

Bokuto left his room in the light of dawn and Akaashi left for the capital on a cool afternoon.

He left with a book of songs that seemed lifeless without the music, with stone flowers holding uneven leaves, with a plain rock that hid rubies, and with a silver ringed promise wrapped tightly around his finger.

He rode in the carriage with Satoshi and he knew at once when his mentor had spotted the ring by the way his eyes went soft even as his mouth stayed firm, reaching over just once to lay a hand on Akaashi's shoulder.

"Even this will one day be alright, Keiji," Satoshi said simply. "Trust in the magic, listen to it."

In all his life, Akaashi had never truly understood what the man meant by that.

Loss and a slowly breaking heart had, unfortunately, not given him extra wisdom.

"I don't know what that means," Akaashi admitted quietly, looking out at the steadily rolling scenery instead of his teacher.

Satoshi did not seem surprised. "It means that fate has a way of working out for those that strive in its favor. Even in ways that neither of us can foresee in the present."

Akaashi bit his lip to keep from asking how that was possibly supposed to help him _right now, _how that could make anything better when the only one he'd ever been in love with was moving further away with every beat of the horses' hooves.

Akaashi didn't say any of this because Satoshi was only trying to help-the awkward, stiff formalities of a parent who'd never learned the soothing words of comfort; but, desperately tried anyway.

And just because Akaashi had learned to speak his mind, it did not give him the excuse to be cruel.

Instead, he nodded once in gratitude before closing his eyes and leaning against the window, trying to remind himself he was making the right choice.

Satoshi let him and the ride to the capital passed in silence.

ooooooo

Clubs' castle was a gorgeous place.

If Clubs' mines were edged in the cliffs and the Universities structured to jut out like mountains, then, the castle was a celebration of all in between.

The castle was half carved into the cliffs, towering above the ocean. Inside, it held all the elegance of the Universities and the brightness of gemstones in scattered ornaments, decorating the halls in a wash of colors whenever the light hit just right.

As a child, ducking his head out from behind Satoshi's robes, Akaashi thought the castle was unlike anything he'd ever seen. It held a breathtaking elegance that should have been intimidating with the height of the cliffs, the sharp edges of cut stone, and the waves crashing wildly from below. Yet, instead, the castle was welcoming like open arms, a sense of rich merriment that invited its people to join in the splendor rather than being locked outside.

If there was any place Akaashi would choose to make home, it was the capital of Clubs.

Which is what made the old wonder turn to ash in his mouth now as he looked down from the lovely castle and longed for the pale austerity of a University with gold eyes and a smile that shone brighter than the gems of the palace.

Where the Diamonds' Winter Festival was known for its science exhibitions and fireworks show, Hearts' Spring Festival for its cultural fair and renewal of foreign treaties, and Spades' Summer Festival for its tournaments, Clubs' festival had always been known for its balls and art displays.

Like all Cards festivals, the Fall Festival lasted five days. The first day would begin with the arrival of the other Suits and end with the opening ball; the middle days were reserved for art shows, for musicals, for the most distinguished work of the University masters, and for the latest artistry of only the best of Clubs' stoneworkers; and the final day for an open chamber with the Suits followed by the final banquet and dance where, this year, a new Suit would Claim their titles.

Clubs had always been a place of art, the famed Jewel of the Card Kingdom, and their festival was well beloved as the place to prove it.

For Akaashi, the soon to be crowned Queen and the only one already well known by virtue of years at Satoshi's side, this meant he had been dragged and pulled in a million different directions in a dizzying rush for the past four days. He hadn't even had time to _consider _sneaking away to possibly find Konoha.

There was something utterly awful about being miserable while surrounded by celebration. But, these were _his people, _this was Clubs and this was a day of celebration for so many people's hard worked time, so Akaashi tried to smile, forced laughs, and spoke firmly with words of gratitude and admiration….and hoped that if the words still came off stiff that, well, he'd always had a reputation for a cool demeanor.

All of which brought Akaashi to his current state.

It was the last night of the festival and Akaashi knew he looked perfect.

His clothes were the finest fabric that the rich kingdom of Clubs had to offer, embroidered delicately around the edges. His hair was perfectly trimmed, light curls falling over stone eyes and lips held in tranquil evenness.

Tonight he'd be the Queen of Clubs and he looked perfect-regal, elegant, untouchable, cold.

And it was such a sharp reminder of all the perfect, lifeless things that Akaashi had learned not to be that he felt it like a knife to the chest. He sat on his bed, an icy reflection gazing back from the mirror and he struggled hard just to breathe.

It was perfect, it was lifeless, and he absolutely hated it.

He wanted….he just wanted to see Bokuto.

He brought the ring up against his lips and closed his eyes, trying to remember who exactly he was instead of the stature he'd once thought he should be.

That was still how he was when Satoshi found him.

A knock on the door and a familiar firm voice and Akaashi could not bring himself to open his eyes.

"Is it time?"

Satoshi paused. "We still have a few moments. Akaashi-"

"I'll be ready," Akaashi cut him off with reassurance.

There was a long silence that followed, long enough that Akaashi finally chanced opening his eyes, only to find Satoshi looking down at him with sad, old eyes.

"Keiji," Satoshi sighed. "I never wanted to see you like this."

Akaashi's stomach plunged painfully. "I'm sorry. I can pull myself together by the coronation, I promise I'll-"

"No, Keiji," Satoshi shook his head. "You misunderstand me. I'm not blaming you, I'm blaming myself. I can't help but feel this is partly my fault."

Akaashi frowned. "It's not, my Queen. How could it be?"

Satoshi's smile was a soft thing. "You were always such a kind child. Always so eager to bend yourself to the wants of others, perhaps even when I should have encouraged you to disagree."

He sat next to Akaashi. "Do you know the fallacy of tradition, Keiji? I don't think I ever taught it; it's something I still struggle with myself. The problem with tradition is that when we have something that's been tried and tested for decades and centuries and always comes out fine, we forget that it's not the _only _way to do things. That it may not even be the best."

Akaashi almost spoke; but, Satoshi shook his head again.

"A week before, you asked me what the hardest thing about being Queen was," Satoshi said. "I didn't answer, then, so please allow me to speak now. The hardest thing, Keiji," the old Queen released a sigh, both wistful and impossibly pleased, "is moving forward."

Akaashi breath caught in his chest, a ring still pressed to his lips.

"But somehow…," Satoshi continued, "I believe that you will find more success in that than I ever had. And I think that's exactly what Clubs _needs_."

"Satoshi…," The words fumbled out of Akaashi's reach before he could form them.

His teacher drew him forward and kissed his brow with the care of a father.

"I want you to be _happy_, Keiji. I want your reign to bring you just as many joys as mine has." Satoshi smiled. "That's all I've ever wanted."

There was another quick knock on the door and a call muffled behind wood. "Your Highness, the coronation…."

Satoshi stood, offering a hand to Akaashi. "Together?"

Akaashi that maybe, possibly…..he actually felt ready.

He took the hand.

Satoshi looked at him fondly. "Let's go meet your Suit, shall we?"

ooooooo

There was a strange experience that could happen in moments that are waited for an entire life.

Akaashi had been waiting to be the Queen of Clubs since the moment he understood what the symbol on his chest meant. He'd been preparing for this day since he was five years old and trailing behind Satoshi. Some nights the unspoken words felt so heavy and forbidden on his tongue that he was afraid they would slip out before he could stop them.

He'd dreamed of this moment. He'd planned for it. And, now, he was living it.

Akaashi Keiji had absolutely no idea what he was feeling.

Clubs was a kingdom of Earth and, so, it was fitting that their largest ceremony should be held under the open sky and on the cool dirt of the courtyard.

Akaashi stood at the edge of the palace door and looked out into a sea of a thousand candles, staring back at him like stars on the ground and all he could see was the grass before him.

Carefully, Akaashi stepped onto the courtyard and _breathed._

And, under his feet, the ground answered him, calling him forward with a presence he could _feel _from the souls of his feet to the tips of his fingers.

_Clubs._

He felt the earth below him and looked out into the sky of candles held by the people of the kingdom he loved.

Akaashi was ready.

He moved down his doublet just enough to see the Mark underneath and he released the words into the air.

"I'm Akaashi Keiji, the Queen of Clubs."

Silver light shone out of his chest and the ground below shook with the force of an earthquake.

Akaashi could feel it in the marrow of his bones, the way the magic rushed at him, twining around him like vines and branches as it whispered words of welcome into his soul. _mage…. protect…..home._

As the silver light finally died down and the vines slipped away, Akaashi found a breathless peace, a wholeness that he hadn't known was missing. A silver "Q" stamped over a beating heart as the people-_his people_-cheered back at him.

There was a hand on his shoulder and he looked over to find Satoshi smiling.

"My Queen," Satoshi greeted him and Akaashi helplessly smiled back.

Satoshi patted his back, leading him away. "Come now, we still have our King."

Akaashi followed his teacher willingly, allowing himself to be led to the space reserved for the newly crowned Suit to the side of the courtyard.

He stared at the two faces already there before, suddenly, he laughed.

"I feel like I should've known it'd be you," he said.

Yukie winked, sword held easily at her side and an apple idly rolling in her hands. "Yeah, well, you know _someone _needed to watch the rest of your backs. And apparently, it runs in the family."

Akaashi just smiled. "Ace Shirofuku."

"Queen Akaashi." Yukie nodded in return.

Konoha slapped his back as he moved to stand beside him. "Nice of you to join us."

Yukie swallowed a bite of her apple, humming thoughtfully. "I suppose all we're waiting for now is Bokuto."

Akaashi felt his chest freeze.

"What?" Konoha frowned in confusion.

She cocked her head. "Oh, have you not met him yet? Cool, I guess that's _some_ of the tradition still in place."

Akaashi still felt like his heart was racing a marathon. "Bokuto's coming?"

Yukie gave him a weird look. "...yeah? What, you thought we were just going to leave him at the University?"

Akaashi just stared at her, a million questions flickering through his mind too fast for him to grasp one firmly enough to ask.

Something must have clicked for Yukie as her jaw dropped open, apple falling forgotten to the ground. "Oh, _Fates_, do you not know?"

"Know what," Konoha piped in.

"How could you _not know_," Yukie spluttered incredulously. "You're literally sleeping with him!"

Akaashi had absolutely no clue what she was talking about.

There was a sudden hush falling over the crowd and Akaashi still hadn't formulated a question when all eyes moved to welcome the coming King.

Akaashi's eyes moved unbidden.

Bokuto stood in the center of the courtyard.

Akaashi stopped breathing.

Bokuto stood in the center of the courtyard with uncovered hands….Only that wasn't quite true.

The black Mark of Clubs shone in the light of the candle, dark against paler skin like the night to the moon. Akaashi didn't have time to process, barely had time to actually _see _before-

Bokuto's grin was the blinding cut of diamonds.

"I'm Bokuto Kotaro, the King of Clubs."

All around him, Akaashi felt magic rush to the center of the courtyard to wrap around Bokuto with the power of earthquakes and the strength of cliffs against the sea.

Akaashi's mind stopped.

There was probably a more elegant way to imagine it; but, nothing else quite encapsulated the feeling of the complete derailment of all thought process, the upheaval of reality, quite like the phrase "stop".

Hours could have passed as Akaashi stared, unblinking at the center of the courtyard.

Somewhere, Akaashi was aware of Yukie whispering to Konoha behind him.

Somewhere, he heard the amazed disbelief in Konoha's "Are you _serious?!_" and the start of Yukie's surprised laughter.

Somewhere, he processed that Bokuto was being led off by former Ace Fumiko and heading straight for Akaashi.

Somewhere, the world still made sense but Akaashi was increasingly sure he did not live in that world.

The first thing Akaashi could actively say that he was consciously aware of was the way Bokuto's eyes found his own, the way Bokuto's lips turned up in a soft smile and a carefully whispered "Hey, Akaashi."

Akaashi's brain coughed back to life long enough for his hand to shoot out and grab Bokuto's own, turning it up to see a silver "K" resting strikingly in the middle of the Club Mark.

Behind him, he thought that Yukie and Konoha might actually be dying from the wheezing sounding huffs of trying to hold laughter in while struggling to maintain at least the semblance of professionalism befitting a new Suit.

Bokuto shot them a curious look. Akaashi _ignored _them.

His grip tightened around Bokuto's wrist. "I need to talk to you."

"Um," Bokuto blinked, looking confused, "don't we still have the banquet?"

"Later," Akaashi ordered, already dragging Bokuto away from the crowds and back to the quiet, deserted rooms of the Clubs' palace.

Bokuto trailed willingly behind because Bokuto was here, because _Bokuto was here, _and because Bokuto was….was-

Akaashi shoved them both in an empty room and simply stared.

Bokuto looked back, mouth still turned up in a confused kind of bewilderment.

And Bokuto was…

"You're the King," Akaashi breathed out.

The memories of an entire year in his life felt like they'd been blown to smithereens and were frantically trying to rearrange themselves, still held tightly by thick emotion pounding in Akaashi's heart.

"Yeah." Bokuto's smile softened. "And you're the Queen, Keiji. We're really finally here, huh?"

Akaashi didn't answer, eyes flickering down to the Mark on Bokuto's hand to Bokuto's grin then back to the hand again.

"You're a miner," he said and, for the life of him, he couldn't understand how that was the first sentence. "When I first met you, I thought you were a miner."

Bokuto laughed cheerfully. "I know, right? First miner to become King of Clubs in like four hundred years. Since the Universities' _founding_. Mom and Dad were really, _really _shocked when I was born."

Akaashi sat down on the floor, not even pretending to care about the way his clothes wrinkled.

Bokuto sat down next to him, just starting to look a little bit worried. "Keiji?"

"You're the King," Akaashi repeated flatly. "_You're the King of Clubs._"

"Um, yeah," Bokuto bent down in front of him. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Akaashi stared at him, at warm golden eyes and a beating heart and a bafflingly fascinating mind and a million other things that he'd fallen in love with.

_Bokuto Kotaro is the King of Clubs, _he thought in a daze.

And then, Akaashi started to laugh.

A high, ringing laugh that was probably too close to hysteria; but, Akaashi didn't care because _Bokuto was King_, because Bokuto was King and Akaashi might actually be blind but Bokuto was King and Akaashi…..

And Akaashi never had to leave him.

Akaashi's hands gripped into Bokuto's collar, pulling him in, not even to kiss but just to bury his face into Bokuto's shoulder and inhale the scent of freshly dyed clothes and, under that, of dirt and sweat and something that was uniquely Bokuto.

He never had to leave him and, if Akaashi wasn't so busy laughing, he thought he'd be crying from the way his heart was beating so fast.

"I love you," he mumbled between a harsh gasp where he tried to catch his breath. "_I love you._"

"I love you, too," Bokuto's hand made soothing motions along Akaashi's back, "but, Keiji, you're kind of worrying me right now."

Akaashi finally pulled back, holding himself together long enough that he could speak.

"I didn't know you were King," he said. "I thought you were a University student."

Bokuto blinked. "Huh?"

Akaashi just nodded.

"But, wait," Bokuto frowned, "you _had _to know."

"I can promise you I very much didn't," Akaashi said, a wildly contrary bubble of manic amusement building up in his chest.

"We talked about it, though," Bokuto leaned back on his heels, eyes looking far away. "Remember? We talked about the Fates and destiny and….wait."

And, suddenly, Bokuto seemed abruptly lost. He turned to Akaashi and the expression he had was so painfully unsure that Akaashi's heart _ached._

Bokuto swallowed. "But, if you didn't know I was King, then why did you say all that stuff? Why did you think I was special?"

"Kotaro…." Akaashi sighed, finding his words because this was important.

Bokuto was looking back at him in a way that hurt to see.

"Kotaro, you never had to be King for me to know that. I didn't believe in you because of Fate. I believe in you because you're _you._" Akaashi shook his head, smiling in helpless adoration. "You're Bokuto Kotaro, how could there possibly be anything greater than that?"

Bokuto's lips parted, face melting into a look of carefully held wonder.

"Oh," he said softly. He blinked rapidly before returning his eyes to Akaashi. "You really….you really think I'm that great?"

Akaashi brought his hand to Bokuto's cheek, guiding him down into something gentle, more the flicker of a precious sensation than an actual kiss-something to draw Bokuto back to the present.

"I know you are," Akaashi said simply.

Bokuto's next breath was more of a gasp, an infinitely delicate thing, before finally….

He grinned and the expression was blinding.

It caught in Akaashi's chest and weaved in tightly until even Akaashi had trouble breathing.

Akaashi leaned his head back on Bokuto's shoulder and laughed.

Bokuto's hand ran through his hair and Akaashi heard Bokuto laughing in return.

They stayed there like that, long moments passing by where neither felt the urge to move.

Finally, Bokuto shifted under him. "I still can't believe you didn't realize-"

Akaashi groaned. "_I know_."

"Really, Keiji," he teased, "you're supposed to be the smart one."

"Apparently not," Akaashi hid his smile into Bokuto's neck, heart pounding _relief _still flooding through his veins. "I resign my title. You can be the smart one now. No worries, I have every faith in you."

Bokuto kissed his temple. "As a merciful leader, I'll give you another chance."

Akaashi rolled his eyes.

"Oh, thank you, _my King_," he said dryly

Bokuto laughed again. "Well, that was definitely different than how I say 'My Queen.'"

Akaashi just breathed in, resting his forehead against Bokuto's.

"They'll be wondering where we are by now," he commented idly. "The banquet's probably already started."

"Yeah, we should probably get back," Bokuto agreed, not making any motion to actually leave.

Akaashi huffed out another laugh that was half a moan. "Yukie and Konoha have probably told the rest of the table by now. Those two are going to hold this against me _for ages_. I'll be lucky if I can convince them not to tell the other Card Suits."

"I'll defend you." Bokuto winked. "I'll just fight everyone to protect your name."

"That's really sweet," Akaashi's smile was so wide it hurt and he couldn't possibly tame it down. He patted Bokuto's cheek. "But, don't do that. Yukie can definitely beat you."

Bokuto puffed out his chest. "I'll die for your honor."

Akaashi jammed a finger at his side and Bokuto's breath sputtered out in a laugh.

Akaashi utterly, ridiculously, and completely adored this man.

He stood, holding out a hand to help Bokuto to his feet. "Come on, this is our own party. It would be a shame if we missed it."

"Yeah, you're right." Bokuto tilted his head. "Plus, Kuroo's here and he _promised _he had something cool to show me."

Akaashi had the sudden realization that Bokuto being King meant that it was highly likely he would be in contact with the Ace of Diamonds on at least a fairly regular basis. A regular, completely disastrous basis that Akaashi would _absolutely _be there to supervise.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself.

Bokuto blinked. "Hmm?"

"Nothing," Akaashi replied absently, purposefully pushing that thought to the side for the much more pleasant warmth building slowly in his chest.

Akaashi let Bokuto pull him forward, simply happy with the way his hand was warm against his with a shining silver ring on top.

By the time, they made it back to the courtyard, the banquet was already in full swing.

Akaashi took one look at their designated table, filled with the former and current Suit of Clubs. Yukie and Konoha had apparently given up all attempts at propriety and were now leaning against each other, still laughing-which Akaashi was _sure _would only increase when they noticed Bokuto and Akaashi's return to the party. Fumiko was not doing much better, expression lit up with bright amusement that matched her granddaughter's, and even Aratani was hiding her grin behind her goblet.

With a resigned sort of dignity, Akaashi _supposed _he could at least be pleased they were enjoying themselves. Truthfully, it was just hard to feel too annoyed about anything with Bokuto still warm at his side and a presence he would never have to leave.

The only one who was not laughing was Satoshi, looking at the rest of the table with a face of refined bewilderment.

With a sense that may be magic, Satoshi looked up and locked eyes with his former ward, standing next to Clubs' new King

And, for a second, Akaashi's heart stuttered painfully, _waiting_.

Satoshi's face smoothed; his smile gentled; and, with a subtle nod of his chin, slightly raised his glass in a slight toast.

Akaashi breathed, nodding back.

From somewhere in the courtyard, a lyre started playing, joined swiftly with the answering notes of a band.

Akaashi recognized the chords, looking up at Bokuto. "Is that…?"

"Um, yeah," Bokuto blushed. "I kind of requested him and I mean it's good that he's getting more notice, right?" Bokuto smiled, a mix of bashful and pleased. "It's probably not exactly traditional like coronation music; but, I thought….well, I just thought you'd like it."

Around the courtyard, the crowd was looking up to the same musician that Akaashi had once heard in a local tavern with a man he'd been afraid to fall in love with pressed tightly at his side.

But that was months ago and tonight, Akaashi squeezed Bokuto's hand and didn't feel afraid.

"You know….," Akaashi said slowly, the words settling in his chest and expanding out, "I think this might be my favorite song."

"Really?"

"Yes," he answered and it felt true. "But, I think I'd like it even more if I was dancing."

Bokuto grinned down at him

Surrounded by a night filled with candles and the laughter of a festival, Akaashi danced with a man he loved and thought about moments unexpected.

He thought of blinding smiles and shy words saying cautious but brilliant ideas. He thought of dirt under nails and a humming voice. He thought of rubies and spinel and words whispered. He thought of Fate and man and how short the distance between the two could be as he felt flowers blooming under his feet.

And, most of all, he thought of Bokuto and feelings that could not be defined by simple words.

Yet, here's the secret: love can never be restricted so callously as to be _defined._

It has always been meant to be unexpected.

ooooooo

A/N:

Okay, so this chapter IS the technical end of this short story. Next chapter skips forward six years to the main story time line, leads into the sequel (though not necessary for the sequel to make sense), and gives details for the sequel in the end note.

If you are not interested in the sequel or have not read "All in the Cards", it's completely fine to end this story here and you will not miss anything for this short story. If you're interested in the sequel and don't mind a fairly tiny spoiler for the first one ("All in the Cards"), definitely go ahead to the seventh part.

Thank you to everyone who has supported this story!


	7. Part 7: Six Years After

_Six Years After_

_The Morning of Diamonds Winter Festival_

Warm lips pressed into Akaashi's neck.

"Keiji."

"No." Akaashi pressed his face further into the pillow.

He felt Bokuto's grin against his hair. "No, you're not Keiji?"

"No, it's too early," he grumbled, giving up dignity and shoving a pillow over his face. He _swore _sunsets were brighter in Diamond's mountains than they ever were in Clubs.

Bokuto's laugh was muffled through the fabric. "Come on, Keiji, you're already up!"

"I regret to inform you that I can't possibly be 'Keiji' for another two hours at least. Come back later."

"It's vacation, Keiji. Vacation means _fun, _not sleeping.

Akaashi moved the pillow to glare at his husband. "First, it's Diamonds' festival, not a vacation. Second, I'm not sure why either of those would mean _not _sleeping in."

Bokuto's smile was already full force, which seemed frankly impossible not to mention highly impractical for barely after sunrise. He slipped his arms around Akaashi's waist pulling him closer to his chest and resting his hand over Akaashi's heart. In the early light, the Marks shone bright silver, one on top of the other.

Akaashi closed his eyes and clung desperately to the last threads of sleep. He could already feel them slipping through his fingers.

"_My Queen_," Bokuto sighed happily into the short hairs on Akaashi's neck.

"My King," Akaashi said back, the words more of a light remonstration with just a hint of fond exasperation tucked into the corners.

Bokuto laughed again. "Why do I always feel like you say that differently than me?"

"We could be sleeping." Akaashi was not above whining, not this early in the morning.

Bokuto pressed in tighter. "But, I love youuuuuuu, Keiji."

Akaashi's heart still warmed, skipping a beat in his chest-that traitor.

"I love you, too," he whispered back, bringing his hand up to thread through Bokuto's, two matching rings clinging together. "I'm sure I'll be utterly devastated becoming a widower so soon."

"Is that your way of saying you're going to kill me if I don't let you sleep?" Bokuto sounded amused.

"I'm sure I'd regret it in a few hours," he answered lazily. "After a nap, of course."

Bokuto's grin was warm in the early hours of dawn.

He kissed Akaashi's temple. "Okay, okay, go back to sleep, Keiji, we'll enjoy our vacation _later_."

"Still not a vacation," Akaashi mumbled reflexively, but was already far too busy sinking into the warmth of Bokuto chest on his back and the softness of the sheets.

There was a knock on the door, a quick rap that demanded attention.

Akaashi moaned. "The world hates me." He paused. "Do you think if we ignore it, they'll leave?"

The knock came again, more insistent.

"Nah, price of royalty, I guess." Bokuto kissed quickly at his cheek. "I got it. You get clothes."

"But, we're on vacation," Akaashi grumbled, already bending down to throw on a tunic and lacing up the threading he always preferred over Bokuto's simpler styles. He bitterly regretted that preference currently as Bokuto was already dressed and halfway to the door, checking briefly that Akaashi was at least decent before throwing open the door.

Standing in the doorway was the fairly short figure that Akaashi vaguely remembered as one of the Diamonds' Suit personal guards.

What was far more concerning was that Shibayama's face was an ashy pale, eyes far too wide to speak of anything else but shock.

Akaashi joined his husband by the door. "What's wrong?"

"Your Highnesses," Shibayama's bow was tense and abrupt, clearly almost forgotten in the weight of the message. "King Kenma and Queen Sugawara request your presence in Diamonds' meeting room."

Bokuto blinked, turning and exchanging a glace with Akaashi, and Akaashi could almost feel the way both of them shifted, throwing on the gravity of their positions like well worn coats.

"What happened," Bokuto commanded, shrugging into boots and reaching for outer garments all the while his gaze never left Shibayama.

Shibayama fidgeted, taking a single heaving breath even as his eyes stayed steadily on the ground.

"I shouldn't say, Your Highness," he said quietly, "it's not….it's just rumor right now. What they're saying….what they're saying can't _possibly _be true. I know it."

"What are they saying," Akaashi pressed, calmer tone echoing the strength of his King's like melody threaded through stone.

Shibayama looked up with rubbed red but dry eyes.

"They're saying the Ace of Spades has been killed."

Bokuto fell heavily on the room's armchair and Akaashi felt his own hand grip hard onto Bokuto's shoulder, thoughts of orange hair and an impish smile weighed heavy in the echoing stillness.

"That can't-_by who?_" Bokuto demanded first. "Who killed him?"

Shibayama broke, tears running with shaking breaths.

"They're saying it was the Ace of Diamonds-Kuroo Tetsuro."

Akaashi and Bokuto both stared at each other.

"_WHAT?!"_

ooooooo

A/N: Coming soon to an archive near you...

"Shuffling the Deck"

Summary:

The Ace of Spades is dead and the Ace of Diamonds killed him.

In Cards, Tsukishima explores a truth he'd rather ignore and a conspiracy that may be closer than he thinks. Kenma learns the difficulty of being a King without an Ace. Across an ocean, Kenji Futakuchi chooses between the birthright he was denied or the freedom he's earned.

Meanwhile, Hinata and Kuroo would really, really just like to go home.

I should start posting this story within a few weeks. It will be a full length sequel. Until then, have a nice summer and stay safe. Thank you again, everyone!


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